Manipulating Evolution
by Purity Black
Summary: COMPLETE! What if Mystique had recruited Jean Grey before Professor X? Please R&R!
1. Default Chapter

Just a quick note…

This is my second fic and totally different to my first. There's gonna be a little fluff – but very little. It's kinda AU, I guess. It's not a Jean-bashing fic, although it may seem a little like that. I just wondered how evo would be if Miss Perfect joined the Brotherhood instead of the X-Men…

There's no Jott either! The two do interact a lot, but they don't get it together.

I'm trying to keep true to the idea of Evo, but if I'm unsuccessful, please review and let me know! And if you liked it, please review and let me know!

To readers of 'The Cure' – I know. I'm a liar. I said at least three weeks till I posted a new fic – but given a choice between studying and fanfic, what could I do? Thanks to Snowee2003, DemonRogue13 and enfant-terrible for reviewing the final chapter! I accidentally only posted half of the final chapter, but it's all fixed now, so if anyone wants to go back and have a look (she says hopefully), it's now complete.

Enough plugs! On with the story!


	2. A Different Beginning

Disclaimer: I don't own X-Men: Evolution. I don't own anything! Life sucks… MANIPULATING EVOLUTION 

****

Jean Grey lay on her bed, blinking back tears. She could hear her parents and her sister mulling over what she had told them earlier that day. Not that they were talking about it – she could read their thoughts, knew what they were thinking. She'd believed she could trust them to understand when she told them about her special powers, to help her with the often unwelcome intrusions of other peoples minds. But they hadn't even believed her at first and when she'd proved what she could do, they looked at her as though she was some kind of freak.

            Her father was sat in his chair in the living room, paying no attention to the TV news. _She's some kind of weirdo or something. I can't even have my own thoughts in case she reads my mind!_

_            Like I'd want to Dad._

Her mother was at the kitchen table, staring unseeingly at a magazine. _What if she's contagious? What if she gives it to Sara?_

_            You always did prefer Sara, didn't you Mom?_

Her sister was sprawled on her bed in the room next door, headphones blaring some crappy boy band. _She's a total freak! It's so embarrassing. I bet she only gets good grades because she reads the teachers minds. It's so unfair! I wish she'd just disappear!_

_            Screw you too, sister dear. But you've just given me an idea…_

            Jean grabbed her holdall from the closet and began shoving clothes into it, grabbing handfuls at random, not bothering to pick and choose. Once packed, she took her money box and emptied her savings – almost $400 she'd been saving up for Christmas – into her purse and pulled on a jacket.

            Her parents thought she was a freak, an embarressment? Fine. She'd solve all of their problems.

            She debated taking the family photo from the nightstand, decided against it and left through the window.

Sat in the bus station, Jean felt alone and afraid. The bus she wanted wasn't due for almost an hour and she intended to be on it, heading away to her home town forever. She hadn't thought much about what she'd do after that. Every time she tried to think of some plan, she'd get a flash of another strangers mind and get panicky again. The worst one had been from a stumbling drunk, who'd looked over at her and had some graphically perverted thoughts. Wearily, she wondered if she'd ever be able to block them out. They were driving her crazy.

            A woman caught her eye as she watched the few people in the station. The newcomer was tall and imposing, jet-black hair, a skirt and jacket suit. She didn't strike Jean as the type of person who'd need a bus at this time of night. The woman glanced around, saw Jean and began walking towards her. Jean looked at the floor, slumped further down on the hard bench and willed her to go away. At one time she had been a friendly, outgoing girl, but all the weird shit going through her head these days had changed all that.

            "Jean Grey?"

            Looking up at the woman, Jean stammered, "Yeah, but how do you know? I've never seen you before."

            The woman smiled and sat on the bench beside her. Jean suddenly realised that she couldn't hear the womans thoughts. It had been a long time since that had happened.

            "I came here to find you Jean. My name is Raven Darkholme and you and I have a lot in common."

            "I – I don't understand."

            Raven turned further around to face Jean properly. "You have special powers. You can read peoples minds, move objects without touching them."

            "How did you – I only told my parents today – "

            "There are ways of finding people like us," Raven told her. "I came a long way to speak to you."

            "Wait a minute – people like US?" Jean looked at her hopefully. "Can you read minds too?"

            Raven shook her head. "I have powers too, but not that. I'm a metamorph. I can look like any person, even turn into some animals and birds." To prove the point, she had a quick look around to make sure that no one was watching them – then her facial features suddenly changed, although her hair and clothes remained the same. Jean found herself looking into her own face.

            "Wow!"

            Ravens face changed back. "Do you want to get a cup of coffee? I have a proposition for you."

            "Alright," agreed Jean and followed Raven to a nearby coff bar where they got cappuccinos and sat at a corner table.

            "The thing is this, Jean," began Raven, adding sugar to her drink. "I'm part of an organisation of people like us, people with certain – abilities. We've remained a secret until now, but not for much longer. When we are exposed, we will be treated as mutants, freaks. Do you understand that?"

            Thinking of her parents reactions, Jean nodded miserably.

            "But we aren't freaks. We are Homo Superior, the next step in human evolution. The 'normal' humans are hstory. They just don't realise it yet."

            Feeling chilled by this, Jean gazed into her coffee. "I don't know Ms Darkholme. I don't like having these powers!"

            "No one does, at first. But we can help you learn to control your powers and use them to your advantage. You would be a valuble asset to our little cause."

            "What exactly does your organisation do?"

            "We have only recently formed, we're still quite small. We are dedicated to finding others like us and helping them learn to use their powers. But when we are discovered, as eventually we must be, the 'normal' humans will fear us, persecute us, maybe imprison us or force us to use our special powers for their own gain. We may even be killed. Our organisation is determined that this will not happen and we are trying to gather our resources together to prevent it. Should you choose to join us, you'll stay in a house in Bayville, go to the local school and learn to control your abilities. Then you'll be in control Jean, for the first time in your life you'll be the one with the power."

            Jean sipped her coffee, thinking it over. Living in a house with people like her was more appealing than struggling o the streets and she had no illusions about how far her money would stretch. But the best part would be gaining control over her abilities. She hated picking up random thoughts from total strangers, sometimes she felt as if she was going insane. And if Raven was right and she got control of her powers, she would never have to study ever again. She could just lift the answers out of the teachers head. Maybe even more. Maybe if she could hear thoughts, she would be able to alter them. Then she could make the normal humans accept them.

            Looking Raven in the eye, she said, "Count me in."

            Raven nodded, obviously pleased. "Finish your drink and I'll take you to the airport. I have a private plane waiting to take us to Bayville. You won't regret this Jean."

            Jean smiled at her. "I know."

Professor Xavier wheeled himself back into the Institute, frowning, and headed for the Cerebro Room. Ororo Munroe heard him return and went out to greet him. "I take it you were unable to recruit Jean Grey."

            The Professor shook his head. "She's run away from home. I think the parents were relieved."

            Ororo shook her head sadly. "I hope she's alright."

            "So do I. That's why I'm going to use Cerebro to find her."

            The Professor entered the Cerebro room and put on the headset. He pressed a few buttons, looking confused. "That's odd."

            "What is it, Charles?"

            "According to Cerebro, Jean is using her powers right now. And she's here in Bayville."

            "But that means…"

            The Professor nodded grimly. "Mystique or Magneto must have located her first – and she's joined them."


	3. Strategy M

I'm so happy! Lot's of lovely reviews for the last chapter! If you like this one, don't forget to review, I get the warm fuzzies when I see them.

Thanks to all reviewers!

Snowee2003 – looking forward to your pics!

Enfant-terrible – I'm gonna have a couple of line up changes, just for fun. Stay tuned!

Rogue14 – glad you liked it!

Risty – I agree that the Brotherhood would be more effective with a telepath. Might not get their behinds kicked so much…

Lady Evils – I'm glad you found it realistic (that was one of my biggest worries, what with Jean being so goody-good). Glad you enjoyed it!

XX-Goth-gal – There'll be a few more turncoats in later chapters (laughs evilly).

DemonRogue13 – Glad you enjoyed it!

Disclaimer: I don't own X-Men: Evolution. My lawyer made me say that!

Scott Summers opened his locker to retrieve his history book, not looking forward to the lesson. He shared the class with Duncan Matthews and two of his football buddies and in Scott's opinion they were all assholes. It was impossible to concentrate with those three sat behind him and the worst part was, Bayville High was very sports oriented and that meant that Duncan was going to get a C-average no matter what he did in class.

To add insult to injury, Scott noticed Duncan by the drinking fountain, flirting with the gorgeous redhead that he's been eying for weeks but hadn't had the courage to speak to. He should have known she'd fall all over Duncan. All the other girls did.

His glare hidden by his shades, Scott watched as the girl touched the lump on Duncan's forehead and he gave an exaggerated wince. Scott himself had inadvertently caused the injury by blowing up a propane tank with his mutant powers trying to stop Matthews beating up a skinny runt named Todd Tolansky. There was something weird about that kid, but he didn't deserve to get the crap kicked out of him either.

"Snap out of it Scott!" said Paul, appearing at his side. "We're gonna be late!"

"Yeah, sure." Scott slammed his locker closed and he and Paul walked to class, past Duncan and the redhead. Much to his surprise, as they passed the girl turned her head to look at them and winked at him. His cheeks going nearly as red as his shades, Scott put his head down and hurried off to class. There was something about that girl. Maybe he should get to know her…

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> "Scott Summers." Raven opened the window of her office. "Enrolled at the Xavier Institute."

Jean and Todd exchanged glances. "What's that?" asked Jean with a frown.

"It's a school for people who have special powers."

"You mean mutants? Like us?" Jeans eyes were wide. "What are they like?"

"Summers is cool, yo," said Todd, cleaning out an ear with his finger and examining the contents. "Wasn't for him, those jocks woulda stomped my skull flat."

"There are only two students enrolled at Bayville High from there – Summers and a new boy, Kurt Wagner." Raven paused briefly, an odd look on her face. "Kurt starts at Bayville High on Monday. There are two instructors, Xavier and a woman named Ororo Munroe. I expect their numbers will grow as time goes by."

"What's this Xavier like?" asked Jean.

Raven snorted. "The man's a fool. He believes that humans and mutants can co-exist without prejudice, in spite of history proving him wrong time and again. It's that sort of thinking that will lead to disaster for us. Whilst Xavier preaches his ridiculous philosophies, humans will be passing laws to have us in chains."

Jean shuddered at the thought. "But we're more powerful than them. We can stop them doing that to us!"

"Yes we can. But not if mutants continue to listen to Xavier's imbecilic ideas. I was going to ask Toad to befriend Summers, find out what goes on at the Institute, since they've already struck up an uneasy alliance. But why risk something going wrong when we can just take the information right out of his head?"

"You want me to read his mind?" asked Jean, sounding as nervous as she felt. "The only mind I've ever really _tried_ to read was Todd's – "

"Hey! When was that, yo?"

"- And I'm just not sure I'm ready."

Raven gave Jean one of her cold smiles. "I have faith in you, my dear. And since you've become so adept at blocking out the thoughts of others, consider this the next step in your training."

"Well…" Jean thought about it for a moment. "Oh, what the hell, I'll try."

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Scott sat at a table outside, eating his lunch and wondering where the hell Paul had gotten to, when a female voice startled him out of his reverie. "Hi, mind if I sit here?"

He looked up to see the redheaded girl he'd noticed so often before standing beside the table holding a tray. "Uh, yeah, sure, go ahead."

"Thanks." She sat opposite him and smiled. "You're Scott, right? I'm Jean Grey."

"Good to meet you," replied Scott and inwardly grimaced. How stupid did that sound?

"I've not been in Bayville very long," she told him, sticking a straw into her milk carton. "It's kinda hard adjusting, y'know? Or maybe you don't. You've probably lived here your whole life."

"No, I only moved here recently myself," said Scott, frowning slightly. He had a weird sensation inside his skull. "I live at the Xavier Institute."

"I've heard of it. Nice place?"

"Yeah."

"Are there a lot of people living there?"

"Not at the moment, just me and…"

"Hey Jean." Duncan Matthews stopped at their table and glared at Scott. "Is it be kind to losers week or somethin'?"

Before she knew that she was going to do it, Jean had sent a telepathic command to Duncan. _Go away and forget that you saw me here. _

Duncan looked confused, blinked a couple of times, then abruptly turned and walked away. Scott watched him go and turned back to Jean with an eyebrow raised. "Care to tell me what that was about? What did you do to him?"

_You're going to forget that Duncan was here. You didn't see anything. _

Scott seemed bemused for a moment, then frowned. "Sorry, I've lost my train of thought. What was I saying?"

"You were telling me about the Institute." Jean took a bite of her salad as Scott told her about the mansion, skirting around the truth – but his mind was easy to read. Jean was jubilant as she carefully examined his thoughts about the things he wasn't telling her. Not only could she read minds, she could alter them too!

She had more power than she had ever dreamed.

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"Are you alright Scott?" the Professor asked as he entered the kitchen to find the boy taking two aspirin with a glass of water. When his powers had first manifested, Scott had suffered from a series of migraines and Xavier was concerned they'd returned.

"I'm fine, Professor," Scott told him. "I've just had a really weird feeling in my head since lunchtime. It doesn't hurt, it just kinda…tickles."

"Tickles?" The Professor looked amused. "What were you doing at lunch to make your head 'tickle'? Or daren't I ask?"

"Nothing much. I was having lunch with this girl Jean and – what?"

"Jean Grey?"

"Yeah. You know her?"

"I think you'd better let me read your mind," said the Professor grimly. "I suspect the feeling you describe is an amateurish attempt at telepathy." _And if it is, this girl is more of a threat than I first realised._

_ 000000000000000000_

The following morning, Scott was slamming his books into his locker, not caring that he was damaging them. He was livid. The Professor had restore his true memories of the previous day and revealed that Jean Grey was a mutant, a telepath and possibly telekinetic too, and she'd screwed with his mind, Duncan's too, read his thoughts. Asking about the Institute had made him think about it and she'd just taken those images right out of his head while he was carefully editing his words. The Professor believed she was working for a mutant called Mystique. Scott had wanted more details, but at that point there had been a new arrival at the mansion, a man that the Professor had introduced as an old friend, Logan.

"I came back because I smelled trouble," Logan growled and in spite of his obvious concern, the Professor had seemed pleased to see the other man. Scott had been in no mood for small talk and had gone to his room instead. He'd tried to be friendly when Kurt had bamfed up to see if he wanted to watch a movie – he knew it was his responsibility to make the strange-looking boy feel welcome – but he just wanted to be alone. He felt betrayed. He'd really thought that Jean was a sincere, friendly person and finding out that she'd used him hurt.

"Hi Scott." Jeans already familiar voice interrupted his brooding. "You know, those books'll fit a lot easier if you're a little more gentle."

Without even looking at her, Scott snarled, "Get away from me you bitch."

Jeans jaw dropped. "What did you call me?"

"You heard." Scott slammed his locker and turned to face her. "I know you read my mind yesterday. I know you're a mutant!"

"What – how – "

"Oh, drop the act. I know you read my mind to get information about us for your boss – what's her name, Mystique? You had to know I'd find out, what with the Professor being a telepath."

"Xavier's a telepath too?"

"Like your boss didn't tell you." Scott checked the hallway to make sure that no one could hear them. "Just stay away from me and anyone else from the Institute too. 'Cause if you don't…"

"What? You'll blast me through a wall?" Jean folded her arms and glared at him. "You and everyone else at that mansion are living a fools dream, you know that. If the humans knew what we could do, they'd hunt us down. They'll never live in peace with us. We can fight back; take our rightful place as the future of the world instead of always hiding who we are, as though we're ashamed! You should join us, not stand against us!"

"If you think I'd join you to fight for something that warped, then you're the fool."

Scott stormed off and Jean stared after him, blinking back tears. She'd never been spoken to so harshly before and she would never have read his mind if she'd known that Xavier was a telepath and would probably notice. Why hadn't Mystique told her that he was a telepath anyway?

On impulse, she hurried to Ms Darkholmes office and managed to get a brief audience with the school principal. Quickly, she explained what had happened with Scott. "Why didn't you tell me about Xavier? I would've been more careful if I'd known!"

"I didn't tell you because I didn't want to worry you." Even in her head teacher guise Raven was intimidating and it wasn't helping Jeans distressed state. "I knew you'd be afraid to touch his mind if you knew. I was aware that Xavier might find out, but I deemed it an acceptable risk. He would have discovered us eventually and this was we have valuable information about the Institute, including security measures should we ever need to enter the mansion."

"Yeah, I know," said Jean miserably. "It's just that – Ms Darkholme, he was so mad at me! He said some really bad things and I just don't understand it! Doesn't he know we've no hope of winning when the humans find out about us unless we work together? But when I asked him to join us, he just laughed in my face!"

"Don't worry about Summers," said Raven. "He's no more than a puppet of Xavier's, with no free will and no ideas other than those spouted by his mentor."

"Thanks Mystique," said Jean gratefully. "You always manage to put things into perspective."

"It's alright Jean. Just one more thing, you and I have a day off tomorrow. We're going on a field trip."

"Why? Where?"

"Irene has foreseen two mutants who would be valuable additions to our little cause. One has some control of his powers and is a virtual certainty, the other will discover her power tonight, but Destiny sees a shadow over her – she may not wish to come with us."

"Then of course I'll go. Who are these people?"

"Their names are Lance Alvers and Kitty Pryde."


	4. You're with me now?

Thanks to:

Snowee2003 – hope you like this one too!

DemonRogue13 – glad you liked it!

Rogue14 – soon enough for ya? Enjoy!

XX-Goth-gal – hope you think this one coulda gone this way too…

X00001 – glad you liked it!

LadyEvils – I love Lancitty too and there's gonna be plenty!

Enfant-terrible – I do agree with what you said and trust me, the trials of Lance and Kitty don't end here…

Firefly25 – the presentation was my biggest worry, coz I had problems with it. There's gonna be no non-evo characters introduced (I don't think so anyway!) Thanks for you review and I hope you enjoy the new chapter!

Disclaimer: Uh, the disclaimer disappeared under a pile of rocks in a mysterious avalanche (glares at Lance).

Kitty Pryde ran into the drama hall, the stage still set from that morning's rehearsal. She was simultaneously angry, terrified and ashamed. That guy, Lance, seemed to be following her around ever since he's seen her fall out of her locker – straight through the door. And then he'd thrown that bitch Riley out of the sandpit by shaking the ground, waved at her casually from the roof as if causing earthquakes was no big deal…

            With a yell of frustration, Kitty kicked the chair off the stage. The way she'd freaked out, everyone would know she knew something about it. Enduring random acts of Riley's cruelty was one thing, they were infrequent and rarely too serious. But the other girl had a reputation for being vicious when she had a vendetta against some one and Kitty had no doubt she'd just made the shit list.

            But what did it matter anyway?

            All Kitty's anger suddenly evaporated, leaving behind only depression and misery. When people found out what she could do, she'd probably be taken to a lab and studied like a freak. With Lance Alvers in the next cage. No need to worry about Riley then.

            With a sigh, Kitty leant against the table, which promptly tipped over, spilling her off and sending the fruit bowl flying. As it came down she instinctively tried to catch it, only for it to pass through her hands as if she were no more solid than a shadow.

            _I'm dead,_ she thought suddenly. _I died and now I'm a ghost and that's why…_

_            Don't be stupid!_

To dispel the notion, she tapped the upside-down bowl. It made a noise, she could feel it, her hand didn't sink into it. She took her hand from it for a second before reaching out to touch it again, concentrating…

            Her hand went right through the bowl.

            "Kitty?"

            She snatched her hand away as if it had been burned, her heart accelerating. It was a male voice, but it couldn't be Lance – he hadn't had time to get to the drama hall from the roof. Unless he could pass through the floor too.

            "Kitty, are you here?" A boy walked into the hall, older than her, brown hair, red shades. She recognised him. She'd bumped into him, literally, as she'd run from the long jump, from Lance, from the craziness that had taken over her life. She didn't think she'd seen him around school.

            "That Ra-Ra Riley a friend of yours?" The only reason she could think of for him being anywhere near the long jump was to check that Queen Bitch was OK, meaning he was probably her boyfriend. Could this day get any worse? "'Cause y'know, like, I had nothing to do with what happened out there in the sandpit."

            "Yeah, I know." The boy walked up the steps onto the stage and Kitty backed up a few steps until she was against the wall. "I'm not a friend of Riley's."

            "Oh yeah?" She had to admit, he looked too preppy for Riley, except for the shades. Even with them, she could sense his close scrutiny of her. She pulled the mask from the wall and covered her face with it.

            "Kitty, there's no need to hide." The boy seemed unsure of what to say next, but any satisfaction she might have gotten from that was wiped away with his next remark. "I, uh, know what's been happening to you since last night."

            "You like, don't know ANYTHING!" yelled Kitty, horrified. How many people knew she was a freak? "And neither does that creepy guy out there!"

            "Lance? You don't have to worry about him. This is about you and your new powers. I'd like to help you understand them…"

            "Look, I don't want any of this! It's hard enough just being normal, y'know?"

            "Oh yeah, I know all right." He seemed to come to a decision. "Just watch this, OK?" He pointed to one of the wax apples that had scattered from the fruit bowl and pulled his shades up a little. Instantly, a red beam shot from behind them and completely obliterated the fruit. He replaced them in less than a second, almost letting Kitty believe that she'd imagined the whole thing if not for the pieces of wax littering the area and the small hole in the stage floor. She looked at the older boy in open-mouthed wonder and he seemed embarrassed, glancing towards the hole. "I do have a visor, but the shades attract less attention."

            "How d'you do that?" Her voice was shaking.

            He shrugged. "Same way you walk through walls, I guess. One morning I just woke up, opened my eyes and POW! No ceiling. Trust me, at first I hated it too, but y'know, having special powers can be pretty cool."

            _Cool?_ A voice in Kitty's head spoke, one that she didn't even recognise as her own. _He's insane. Get away from him right now!_

            "No. NO! I don't believe you, it's a trick!" Kitty covered her face with her hands and ran through the stage door.

            "Shit." Scott stood on the stage for a moment or two, debating what to do now. He'd just decided to phone the Professor when he felt a hand on his shoulder. Startled, he turned to find himself face-to-face with an irate Lance Alvers.

            "Piece of advice, Goggle-Boy." Lance tightened his grip and Scott fought the urge to punch the other boy in the face. "I'm the only friend that girls gonna need and I'm gonna teach her what's what. So you just back yourself off." With that, Lance turned and left the same way he'd come in.

            Scott groaned. Perfect. Two potential new recruits alienated and this after scaring the crap out of Kitty's parents that morning. The Professor was going to be pissed.

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            Jean sat in the passenger seat of Ravens rental car, her hair brushed back and a baseball cap on her head. Destiny had predicted the presence of the X-Men and she didn't want to risk being noticed by Scott. "Kitty's going to meet Lance. Summers really freaked her out before and she's confused and agitated. She's begun to see Lance as a kindred spirit almost, some one who'll look out for her."

            "Excellent," replied Mystique from the drivers seat. She was disguised as a teenager, a blonde cheerleader type. "And Lance?"

            "He wants her to use her powers to get into the office so he can steal midterm results."

            "Such ambition. Anything else?"

            "Uh…he's beginning to have second thoughts. He likes her and he knows that normally she'd never look twice at him. But that's not gonna stop him using her to get the results. He thinks she'll stop needing him soon and he may as well get what he needs before she doesn't want to know."

            "Will Kitty try to stop him?"

            "Probably. She's never needed to cheat and she's never even considered it."

            Mystique sighed. "Is nothing ever easy?"

            "Excuse me Mystique, but I don't feel very comfortable doing this." Jean looked at the floor, not used to questioning the older woman. "I mean, I think from what I can see in her mind that her parents'll get used to her powers, they'll accept her no matter what. That family's so happy it's nauseating."

            "We have to do things this way. Irene assures me that without our intervention, Kitty will go with Xavier and Lance may go too. We both know that doing so will ultimately be their deaths. Quite possibly ours too. We have to prepare for war, Jean. This is the best way to bring them both into the Brotherhood."

            "I know. I just don't feel right about it." Jean frowned. "And I don't see how cheating on a test is going to help us recruit them."

            "Destiny assures me that's the catalyst."

            "I'd like to meet this Destiny one day – wait. They've just met up." Jean put her hands to her temples and focused all her concentration on the minds of Kitty and Lance.

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            "How do you take control?"

            "By admitting to something that no one wants to cop to – that we _are_ outsiders and there _is_ something wrong with us."

            Kitty looked at the floor miserably and Lance felt guilty for deliberately making her feel bad about herself. He put his hand under her chin to bring her head up and she looked up into his face, her blue eyes still sad but her expression shy and trusting. Man, he was gonna have to get it together, try to remember that she was just another stuck-up middle-class bitch and he'd never be good enough for her. At least she could get him the test results and if she never gave him that innocent, trusting look again, he'd just have to keep in mind that she would never have glanced his way if she wasn't a freak of nature.

            Just like him.

            He smiled down at her. "Hey, don't fret it, embrace it. The way I see it, fate dealt us wining cards – if we play them together."

            _He's right_ said a voice in her head. _Together, two people with your abilities could do anything._

            She looked away from him again. "Nothing's making any sense."

            _It makes perfect sense. You're different to others. You need to stick together._

            "That's why I'm here, to light your path. And the first step leads us right into that office."

            _Lance understands _the voice in her head spoke up again. _He knows how scared you are, how your parents are ashamed of you…_

_            Screw it._

            Kitty walked towards the office, concentrated – and walked straight through the wall. She ran to the door and unlocked it to let Lance in, beginning to feel excited about her new abilities for the first time. "Didja see me? Didja?"

            "Yeah!" Lance walked into the office, trying not to grin too widely. The answers were as good as his and the money would soon be rolling in. "Wow Kitty, how did it feel?"

            Surprising him, Kitty threw her arms around his waist. "Oh, it was like, totally unbelievable!"

            Putting his arms around her and returning her embrace, Lance replied, "You're making it yours Kitty. Once you own it, nothing can own you."

            _He's right. _That voice in her head again, that she hardly recognised as being her own. _You're more evolved than other people. The future belongs to those like you and Lance._

            Lance was reluctant to take his arms from around her, telling himself he had plenty of time to get those test results. Just one more minute of this…

            "Get your hands off my daughter!"

            Turning, Lance muttered, "What the…"

            Kitty gasped.

            "Daddy!"

                                    00000000000000000000000000000000

            "Trouble," said Jean sharply. "The parents just turned up with Summers in tow."

            "Xavier must have located them." Mystique glanced towards the school. "We'll have to go to the backup plan."

            "But Xavier – "

            "Just do it!"

            Closing her eyes, Jean removed her influence from Kitty's mind and focused on new targets.

                                    0000000000000000000000000000000000

            "Far enough, old man!"  Realising that things had just gone badly wrong, Lance set off an earth tremor that knocked over a bookcase, knocking Mr Pryde down and pinning him to the floor. Scott began trying to pull the furniture off him whilst keeping his balance.

            "No, stop!" Kitty grabbed Lances arm as the earthquakes got fiercer.

            "We should have known!" Kitty's father pulled himself from beneath the bookcase and glared at the girl. "You turn out to be a freak, then start hanging around with all the other freaks – I'm ashamed you're my daughter!"

            "We don't ever want to see you again!" added her mother from the doorway.

            _Professor, something's wrong! _Scott could read the devastation on Kitty's face, the anger and disbelief on Lances.

            _I'm here Scott. And so is some one else - _

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            Jean screamed as a bout of vertigo hit her. As she was forcibly ejected from the Prydes heads she found her mind drifting in a void, not knowing where she was, who she was, up from down…

            …And then she was on the floor of the car, shaking, sobbing and nauseous, but basically OK.

            "Wait here!" ordered Mystique – as if the teen was in any shape to go anywhere – and hurried out of the car, her shape changing even as she slammed the door. A sleek black cat ran towards the office building as the ground started shaking and cracks appeared in the walls.

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            "Kitty, wait!" Scott looked nervously at the ceiling, hoping it would hold up under the force of the tremors. "Don't go with him!"

            "Sweetheart, I don't know why I said that!" said her father desperately. "We love you!"

            "Listen to him Kitty, _please_!" Her mothers voice was close to breaking.

            Lance grabbed hold of Kitty's wrist and focused a tremor beneath the outer wall of the office, bringing concrete and plaster avalanching down and leaving a large hole. "Too late. You're with me now!"

            "Yeah," said Kitty quietly, lacing her fingers with Lances. "Yeah, I'm with you now."

            The pair stepped through the hole in the wall and ran away from the school, hand in hand, trying to lose themselves in the throng of people emerging from the school, mostly teachers and detention dwellers at this time. They were not followed. When they reached the top of a hill that overlooked the school, Lance stopped for a breather and tried to think of a plan. He hadn't anticipated things going this far and he didn't know what to do next…but he forgot all that when he turned to look at Kitty. Her hands covered her face and her shoulders shook with the force of her sobs.

            "Oh, hey Kitty…" Lance couldn't think of a way to continue and instead put his arms around her. She buried her face in his chest and let him hold her while she cried. Behind her, Lance could see police cruisers and fire trucks pulling up to the school, crowds of people gathering to watch. There were flames emerging from a window – one of the tremors must have caused a gas pipe to rupture. It didn't seem real. He'd done that, less than half an hour ago, yet it felt so far distant it might have been something he'd seen on TV. There was no way they could hang around here now. Half the school had collapsed, Kitty's parents had disowned her and it wasn't as if he'd be missed at the foster home. He was leaving this town for good, and it looked as though he'd have to take Kitty with him.

            Hell, he could think of worse fates.

            Eventually, Kitty lifted her head from Lances chest and wiped her eyes. He smiled at her gently and tucked a strand of hair that had escaped her ponytail behind her ear.

            "So like, what am I gonna do now?"

            "Don't worry Kitty. You're with me now. I'll look after you."

            "OK, so what're WE gonna do now?"

            "Truthfully? I have no idea," he admitted, which earned him a watery smile. "We can't stay here, that's for sure. We're gonna have to…"

            "I'd say you've blown your chances at this school, haven't you?"

            Lance stood protectively in front of Kitty as he watched the dark haired woman approach them, wondering how she'd managed to sneak up on them like that. "And you are?"

            "Your new advisor. I've made openings for you at Bayville High." Kitty gasped and Lance stared in shock as the woman's features began to change and her skin turned blue.

            "I have much to teach you – both."


	5. Musings and Middleverse

Wow! Tons of lovely reviews (does little dance around the room). That and series 4 of Evo coming on TV next month makes me happy!

This is a bit of a filler chapter, but necessary. I'll update again in a few days!

Thanks to:

Enfant-terrible – I hope you like the new chapter.

DemonRogue13 – Glad I managed to surprise you!

Risty – The Brotherhood so needed an evil telepath. I debated writing an Emma Frost fic, but I thought this was more interesting.

Rogue14 – If you think Jeans a bad girl now, just wait!

X00001 – I have plans for the X-team in the next few chapters…BWAHAHAHAHAHA!

XX-Goth-girl – I wondered what would happen if Kitty had chosen otherwise. She and Rogue interact more as the fic progresses…

LadyEvils – I love writing Lancitty! And Jean would make such a good bad guy.

Lyranfan – I'm glad you liked the fic! I was trying to keep everyone in character (except Jean, hahaha!) and I thought the way that Paul just disappeared was terrible – last time we saw him he was having an accident with some milk! Hope you enjoy the new chapter.

Raphaella – I didn't think Jean would be totally evil from the get-go, but she thinks she's doing the right thing…glad you liked it!

Deb1 – Glad you enjoyed it and glad you like the twists!

Disclaimer: Toad blasted the disclaimer with a trans-dimensional device and now it's lost in middleverse. I think I left my homework there too…

Jean lay on her bed, trying to crush the feelings of guilt she'd had ever since the day Lance and Kitty joined the Brotherhood. It didn't take a telepath to see that Kitty was miserable. The only thing she'd wanted to do since arriving in Bayville was spend all of her time with Lance. The girl was beginning to pull out of her depression, which Jean suspected was mostly Lance's doing although she had tried to spend time getting to know her. Kitty didn't seem to like living at the Brotherhood house, although Lance had fit right in.

            Lance had caused her another problem. Jean had been reluctant to enter another mind after what had happened with Kitty's parents, but she'd caught a stray thought from the boy one night that had caused her to look up and see him shooting her an angry, intense glare that had made her realise that he suspected the truth. She had telepathically removed that suspicion that same night and infiltrated Kitty's mind for good measure, ensuring that neither of them would consider her capable of such deceit. It had been nerve-wracking, not knowing if Xavier had permanently affected her telepathy but she had been relieved to find herself suffering no ill effects. It had been necessary too. Lance had been apprehensive about what she might have done, had been considering taking Kitty away from the Brotherhood. Jean scowled at the memory. Even when Kitty was miles away from home, when her entire life had been torn out from under her in the space of fifteen hours, there was someone looking out for her, some one who was willing to put her best interests before their own. Jean envied her – when _her_ powers had manifested, no one had been there for her until she'd been found by Mystique.

            Guilt had prevented her from truly disliking Kitty, but it didn't hurt that there was a new girl in the house to focus her resentment on. Mystique had brought Rogue home late one night, a tired, confused Goth who absorbed the memories and personalities of the people she touched. Initially Jean had pitied her, but then she noticed that Mystique seemed to prefer the newcomer to her. Things had changed with Little Miss Sullen around and her mind was difficult to read too – Jean kept finding traces of other personalities, some southern boy named Cody as well as Nightcrawler and Storm. It was hard to work out which memories belonged to Rogue and which didn't. If she absorbed many other people, it would be impossible to use her telepathy on the girl.

            Fred Dukes had posed no such challenge. He'd barely been in Bayville a week before she'd altered his thoughts just because of the sheer irritation he caused her. It had been embarrassing to have hi following her around school and attempting clumsy conversation at home, so she'd simply changed his feelings towards her from puppy love to platonic admiration. Mystique had informed her that the X-Men had tried to recruit both Rogue and Fred, but had failed. Jean had used the knowledge to taunt Scott Summers, knowing how much it aggravated him.

            Rolling over on the bed, Jean compared the casual way Mystique asked her to read most peoples minds with the conversation they'd had two days previously, shortly after the newest addition to the Brotherhood, Pietro Maximoff, had arrived. Raven had spoken to Jean in the school office and had seemed almost nervous.

            "Jean, our organisations founder has a particular interest in Pietro. It might be best for the moment if you refrained from reading his mind."

            "As if I could get to it through that ego," Jean had responded sourly. Pietro had flirted shamelessly with both Rogue and Kitty, ignoring Lances hostile glare and his arm firmly around Kitty's waist. The girls had professed distaste, but she could tell that the pair were secretly flattered. He'd barely even looked at Jean and that irked her. She knew she was more attractive than the other two…

            "I mean it Jean. Leave Pietro's one-track mind alone."

            "Oh fine then. When do I get to meet this mysterious founder anyway?"

            "Soon. Very soon."

            Jeans remembrances were interrupted by a knock on her door. She could sense that it was Kitty. "Hey, if you want a ride to school, Lance is setting off in five!"

            Getting off the bed, Jean opened the door and grinned at the younger girl. "Thanks, but Duncan's picking me up. Maybe I'll see you at lunch."

            "Yeah. Sure you will." Kitty turned and went back down the stairs, leaving Jean to stare after her. It was true that she didn't hang around with the Brotherhood much at school, but apart from their powers they had nothing in common. Still, they were teammates. Maybe one lunch wouldn't hurt.

            At school she went through the motions of paying attention, agreed to go to Duncan's party that night and pulled the answers to her geometry homework from her teachers head. At lunch she sat with Lance, Kitty and Fred, much to her surprise enjoying their company. When the lunch break neared its end, the four Brotherhood members went to their lockers, passing Scott Summers and the newest addition to the Institute, Evan Daniels, as they did so.

            As the group walked past the X-Men, Scott grabbed Lance by the collar and slammed him against some lockers. "What did you do with Kurt?"

            Blob grabbed Scott by the scruff of his neck and easily lifted him off. "Back off Slim!"

            "Put him down!" snarled Evan.

            "Back off Spyke-Boy or I'll rock ya!" Lance squared up to the other boy, sending a telepathic message to Jean. _{Get Kitty away from here quickly!}_

_            {Don't worry about us!}_ Jean knew she could never drag Kitty away and there was no way she was showing any weakness to the X-Men, no matter how embarrassing it was to be fighting beside the Brotherhood in front of a crowd of cheering students.

            "WHAT is going on here?" Ms Darkholme approached the mutants as the crowd quickly dispersed.

            "Summers here just went ballistic on us!" said Lance.

            "Yeah," added Kitty. "For no reason!"

            "Oh, I've got a reason," said Scott darkly.

            "Never mind." Raven indicated to the X-Men. "You two, come with me."

            Jean risked a brief scan of Evans mind as the pair followed the Principal. "That's odd. They can't find Nightcrawler and I can't get a mental reading on him either."

            "One less X-Man to push us around," replied Kitty, still shaken by Scott's sudden attack.

            The Brotherhood spent the rest of the day being quizzed about their near-fight with the X-Men by curious students and by the final bell, Jean just wanted to go home. Before she could go and meet Duncan however, Mystique contacted her telepathically. _{Gather the others and find Rogue. I have reason to be concerned about her.}_

            _Great _thought Jean bitterly, _Let's all worry about the Rogue._ She scanned the building for the others. Pietro had already left – _typical_ – but the others were gathered by Lances jeep, listening to Toad describe something. Rogue was in an unused part of the school.

            With the X-Men.

            Deciding that this couldn't be a good thing, Jean hurried to get the rest of the Brotherhood.

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            "They're down there," Jean said as the Brotherhood approached the abandoned lab.

            Lance was the first one down the stairs, where Rogue was stood with Scott and Evan. "Hey Rogue, Mystique sent us to find you. So, you with us – or _them_?"

            Scott eyed the group by the door before turning back to Rogue, seeming confused and angry. "Mystique? You working for her now?"

            "Hey Summers, you got your friends, ah got mine. But this ain't mah fight. Ah'm outta here." Rogue stalked out of the lab and Scott noticed Jean frowning thoughtfully at the Goth.

            Toad pulled him out of his musings. "Yo, it's that gizmo I was telling you about."

            "Grab it," ordered Jean.

            "The projector stays with us," said Scott, wishing they weren't so heavily outnumbered. "Keep that portal open!"

            Evan threw a row of spikes at the Brotherhood to block their path, but Blob busted straight through them. Scott managed to blast the floor from under him, causing him to fall backwards, and Evan threw down another wall of spikes. Noticing Jean flying over them, Scott hit her with an optic blast, knocking her into a wall, but then he and Evan were knocked off their feet by an earth tremor. Kitty and Lance had phased through the spike wall and Avalanche kept the X-Men busy while Shadowcat ran through them to grab the projector.

            "Got it!" she yelled triumphantly.

            Blob burst through the spike wall again and the X-Men suddenly found themselves having to deal with Blob, Toad and a newly recovered Jean as well as Avalanche.

            Lance glanced over his shoulder to where Kitty was hanging onto the projector and noticed something strange in the ever-narrowing portal. It couldn't be…

            "Kitty, DROP IT!"

            Lances yell caused everyone to look into the portal and Scott and Evan, trained to make split-second decisions, dived for cover. Lance covered the ground to Kitty with a speed that even Pietro would have admired and grabbed her around the waist. She let go of the projector and he pulled her with him to the floor, landing painfully on his tailbone before rolling to cover her. Almost immediately after, the portal seemed to _bulge _and Principle Darkholmes new car sped out. Toad and Jean ducked behind Blob and the car hit the boy, getting completely written off without seeming to affect him at all.

            "Phew!" exclaimed Fred as Jean and Todd peered out from behind him. "Good thing I'm the Blob!"

            Todd sighed shakily. "You can say that again, yo."

            Lance sat up. "You OK Kitty?"

            "I'm fine, thanks to you," she replied. "But the gizmo…" She indicated to the projector, lying in pieces on the floor.

            "Come on guys," he said, standing up and helping Kitty to her feet. "This party's over."

            "Yeah, later losers," added Blob as the Brotherhood walked out of the door. Jean was the last of them out, looking thoughtfully at the boy in the car next to Kurt. Another mutant no doubt. She'd have to inform Mystique. Outside, she scanned the area for people and frowned as she picked up Rogues unmistakable psychic imprint nearby. The younger girl had hung around to make sure that the missing Nightcrawler turned up alive and well. Jean contacted Mystique telepathically, deciding they needed to talk. The new mutant on the scene was the least of their worries – it looked like they might have a defector in their own camp.


	6. Secrets and Lies

Thanks to:

Steph14Wales – as always, thanks!

Firefly25 – Forge is gonna be turning up a lot more in my fic than he does in Evo, although he'll be absent for a few chapters yet. And I have many evil plans for Rogue…Thanks for reviewing!

Risty – Forge in the Brotherhood? Wait and see (hahahaha!). Jean was so jealous of Taryn in the series that I thought I might carry that over. Thanks for reviewing!

Furygrrl – Thanks for the great review! I don't know that I'll give Jean a romantic pairing yet, if so it won't be serious and it WON'T be Scott! Promise!

XX-Goth-gal – I might have Risty show up later (I know I can do the accent better than whoever voiced her in Evo). I liked her too. Thanks for the review!

LadyEvils – Jean is totally scary when she's power mad! Glad you liked the Lancitty, look for more in this chapter! Thanks for the review!

CarolJ – If I had Jeans powers, that's what I'd do! Thanks for the review!

DemonRogue13 – It's great fun to write about evil Jean. Thanks for the review!

Lyranfan – I think the X-Men always have strength in numbers over the Brotherhood and wondered what would happen if the roles were reversed…Thanks for the review!

Deb1 – Thanks for the review! I'm glad the action was detailed enough.

Candace – Glad you're liking it and thanks for the review!

Disclaimer: I don't own X-Men: Evolution. Jean Grey does. Jean owns us all!! Wait – has some one been screwing with my mind?

"Rogue's losing her faith in us," Jean told Mystique that evening. "She's stopped being afraid of the X-Men and tonight she was helping them get that blue-furred freak back from another dimension. Why not just leave him there?"

            Mystique looked out of the window thoughtfully. "Maybe it's time we reminded her where her loyalties lie. Can you alter her thoughts?"

            "I don't know. At the moment I might be able to, but if she absorbs anyone else it could upset things. I think I can deal with four personalities, but not ten or twenty. If I change her thoughts and she absorbs some one else, the change might not last."

            There was a brief pause, then Mystique sighed. "We have to try. We cannot lose her, especially not to Xavier!"

            "Why not? Let her go. The atmosphere around here might get a little better without her around."

            "Destiny has foreseen that Rogue is essential to our future. The whole Brotherhood, but you and I in particular."

            "How?"

            "She can't tell. Too much is still in doubt. But if Rogue joins the X-Men, it casts a dark shadow over us all."

            "Whatever." Privately, Jean was getting tired of taking orders based on the vague prophecies of a woman she'd never met – but Irene had yet to be wrong, had known exactly where to find the other Brotherhood members. "OK, I'll do it. But I won't be able to change her mind again if she absorbs too many other people."

            "If we do it right the first time, we shouldn't have to." Mystique turned away from the window, "When she gets back, do it then, tonight."

            "OK. What are you gonna do about the other guy I told you about, this Forge?"

            "I'll go through the schools archive records, find the records of the accident that closed down the lab. There may be an address for his parents and hopefully they'll still live there."

            "Do you need me to go when you speak to them?"

            "I'll decide that when we locate them. For the moment, we just have to concentrate on Rogue."

            "Yeah." Jean decided to go to Duncan's party for a while. She'd had enough of the Brotherhood and their problems for one day and with any luck, Rogue would be asleep when she got back, making her job easier.

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"You're quiet tonight." Kitty looked up at her boyfriend. He was leaning against a tree, looking out across the deserted park; she was resting her head against his shoulder. Ever since that scene with the X-Men, he'd been distracted.

            Lance sighed and looked up at the night sky. "Kitty, I – well, I've got something to confess."

            "What?" Kitty sat up and searched his face for a clue. "What is it?"

            "I…" Lance met her eyes and then looked away. "At our old school, the first day we met, I lied to you. I wanted to help you, but that wasn't all. Me and some of the guys I hung out with had a scam going on, we sold test results to people, strictly small time, y'know? But they'd suspected something and installed a new alarm system in the office and we couldn't get in without some one finding out. Then I saw you fall right through the locker and I knew you could get the answers for me. That's why I got you to go into the office that day."

            Kitty stared at him in shock. "Everything we've been through together, all that was based on a _lie_? I thought you cared about me!" Her eyes filled with tears and she started to get up, but Lance stopped her by grabbing her hand.

            "It's not like that Kitty! At first – I mean, I liked you and all, but I knew that once you got used to having your powers you wouldn't need me anymore, probably wouldn't even look at me. And I had a problem you could fix. I knew you wouldn't go along with it, so I tricked you. But then when your parents showed up, I really did want to keep them from hurting you. And if Mystique hadn't shown up when she had, I was gonna leave town and take you with me."

            "And now?" Kitty's voice was shaking, so quiet that Lance could barely hear her. "Is _this _a trick?"

            "No. No trick." Lance ran his hand through his hair, looking miserable. "It's just – I care about you and I know you trust me. I didn't wanna keep the truth from you anymore, even if you never trust me again."

            "You were the only person I did trust."

            "I know. That's why I had to tell you."

            Kitty pulled her hand from his and turned away from him, looking out over the park. Silence reigned for several minutes as Lance tried to think of a way to make things right, but couldn't find the words.

            Eventually, Kitty turned to face him again. "I am so mad at you."

            "I know, and I'm sorry."

            "I don't know why I should forgive you. How do I know this is the real you? Or is the real you just a hood who lied to me and tried to use me?"

            "This is!" Lance grabbed her hand again and looked into her eyes. "I needed to tell you because I didn't want to lie to you anymore."

            Kitty sighed. "I should hate you for this."

            "Do you? Hate me?"

            "No."

            "Uh…why not?"

            "I guess…" Kitty frowned unhappily. "I guess because you've proved since then that I can trust you. I mean, we've been through so much, leaving home together and coming to Bayville to learn about our powers, meeting other people like us…but you've always been there for me, didn't ignore me even though I don't really fit in with them…"

            "Yes you – "

            "No. I don't. But it's OK, because you always look out for me. If it wasn't for you and Jean, I'd be lost. The other boys make fun of the way I talk and it isn't exactly easy to get close to Rogue. Or healthy either."

            Lance laughed.

            "You lied to me. Once. And told me about it when you didn't need to because I'd never know otherwise. That makes me trust you more."

            Lance put his arm around her and pulled her into an embrace; hardly able to believe she'd forgiven him. "I promise you Kitty, I'll never lie to you again."

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By the time Jean got back from Duncan's party, Rogue had returned and was asleep. She went up to her room quietly and lay on the bed, carefully entering Rogues mind. First, she suppressed the other personalities in Rogues head as best as she could – Cody, Nightcrawler, Storm and Quicksilver. Curious about when Pietro had touched her, Jean searched the other girl's memories and found that Pietro had bet Rogue that he was too fast for her powers. One kiss later, Rogue had gained $10 and another personality.

            Irritated, Jean found Rogues memories of the X-Men. It wasn't looking good. Rogue had realised that Mystique had probably been disguised as the X-Men the night her powers had manifested, although she was trying to deny it to herself. Worse still, she had a crush on Scott Summers. She was beginning to think he could never hurt her and that undermined her fear of the X-Men. Removing the attraction would solve nothing – they saw Cyclops every day at school and it was unlikely that he'd stop trying to befriend Rogue. The crush would just return.

            Briefly, Jean toyed with the idea of changing Rogues object of affection to Blob or Toad – watching the Goth moon over the less attractive members of the Brotherhood would be amusing if nothing else – but in the end, she rejected the idea as too risky. Instead, she decided to replace Scott with herself. It wasn't as if the girl could do anything about it, she'd be easier to control if she was crushing on Jean and even if she saw Scott every day, she'd be unlikely to feel the same way about him now.

            Grinning, Jean added the telepathic suggestion that Rogue was still afraid of the X-Men and that neither Jean nor Mystique would ever deceive her before withdrawing her presence from the other girls mind. This was going to be interesting.

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"Pardon et moi? I do not understand what is – like me?"

            "An angel is like you Kate. And you are like an angel."

            "Urghh."

            Scott frowned at Rogue over the top of his book. "Is everything alright with you?"

            "Everything'll be _fine_ as soon as ah finish this stupid play and ah don't have to talk to you again!"

            "But I thought, y'know, we were getting on OK."

            "Well you thought wrong!"

            "But…"

            "What is it you want from me?"

            "I don't want anything. Except maybe your friendship."

            "Yeah? Well sorry, not interested." Rogue stood up and grabbed her book. "Ah'm outta here. If we screw up, too bad."

            "Rogue, wait!" Scott stood up too, trying to work out what had changed since the day before, when they'd been almost friendly. "Listen, we've never tried to hurt you, you've been lied to."

            "Bullshit! Who would do that?"

            "I think he's trying to say that I would," said Jean, Scott and Rogue too caught up in their argument to notice her approaching.

            "Jean!" Rogue spun around to face the other girl, dropping her book onto the grass. "Ah didn't see you!"

            "Well, when you said you'd be here after school I thought we might go for a coffee or something when you've finished." Jean smirked at Scott. "Unless you'd rather stay here."

            "Sure! Ah mean, ah'd like to go for coffee, ah'm done here."

            Scott watched the scene in confusion. The previous day Rogue hadn't seemed to like Jean very much at all and now – was she blushing?  He tried to work out what might have changed her attitude so drastically and didn't like the conclusion he arrived at.

            "You've been messing with her mind, haven't you?"

            "Right, like I am so sure Scott Summers," replied Jean, rolling her eyes.

            "Jean wouldn't do that to anyone," added Rogue.

            "She did it to me," Scott told her.

            "You liar!" Rogue looked upset. "The only people who tried to hurt me were the X-Men!"

            "Forget him Rogue." Jean put a hand on the other girls shoulder. "Let's get out of here, before he tells any more lies."

            "You know I'm telling the truth Jean," said Scott, glaring at the redhead. "Rogue's gonna find out sooner or later and I wouldn't wanna be you when she does."

            "Just when ah thought you could not get any more pathetic." Rogue walked off and Jean followed her, turning her head and winking at Scott as she did so, grinning at the furious look on his face.

            Scott watched them leave, then retrieved Rogues forgotten book from the grass. Deciding he had better inform the Professor of this latest development, he drove back to the mansion and found the other X-Men, quickly telling them what he had discovered.

            The Professor seemed unsurprised by his news. "I've suspected for some time that Mystique would encourage Jean to use her powers to control the minds of the Brotherhood in this way."

            "Most of the Brotherhood don't need their minds controlling," Logan observed.

            "Can't you get into their heads and take out whatever Jean put in?" asked Scott.

            Professor Xavier shook his head. "Without their co-operation and without knowing exactly what she did, it would be almost impossible."

            "So zhey're stuck zhat way?" Kurt looked at the Professor in disbelief. "Zhere has to be somezhing we can do!"

            "We might not have to do anything." The Professor looked grim. "Jean's had no real training for her powers – that she's managed to do this well on her own is amazing. She'll overextend herself. If her powers keep growing, she may even find it hard to block out the thoughts of others and that could cause schizophrenia. I predict that she'll be forced to come to us for help."

            "And we're supposed to just help her if she needs it?" Evan scowled at the idea. "Hey, if she comes here we should just – "

            "Evan!" Storm glared at her nephew. " If Jean does come to us, we may be able to get her to see things from our point of view, realise that Mystique is wrong."

            "She won't come to us for help if there's another way to control her powers," said Logan.

            "And she might be able to control them anyway!" Scott clenched his fists. "We can't just wait and see. There has to be something we can do!"

            "I'm sorry Scott," replied the Professor. "There isn't."


	7. Survival Training

Woo-hoo! I've got so many great reviews – more than I got for the whole of my other fic! I thought I was gonna get flamed like Pyro's teddy after a nightmare after the Rogue/Jean stuff, but everyone was really positive about it. Thanx to:

Steph14Wales – thanks for the review and enjoy your holiday!

Enfant-terrible – It is a pretty insane idea (laughs evilly). There are actually Rogue/Jean fics out there (there's one called 'Crowds', can't remember who by though).

DemonRogue13 –Thanks! I'm loving writing Evil Jean!

Risty – Lots more Lancitty to come!

Rogue14 – Oh yeah, she's evil. And getting worse…

Teekoness – Thanks! I try to remember that Jean's responsible for a lot of the stuff that goes on even when she's not the main character in the episode.

Terror – I'm always rooting for the Brotherhood!

XX-Goth-Gal – Wow, thanks! I've never been called anyone fave author before (sniffles emotionally).

Wen1 – Sorry, it won't be a Jott – but Cyclops is gonna play a part in Jeans future…

UniversalAnimeGirl – Thanks! I stole Kitty's line about Rogue from 'Grim Reminder' when she's E-mailing her parents (me and Kitty have the same laptop!). I love the Rachel/Kitty lines! There's more insanity to come, and yeah, Rogue is gonna get pretty angry…

Deb1 – The Rogue/Jean stuff is great fun to write. Thanks!

Carol J – Yeah, I'm evil and leading Jean astray! BWAHAHAHAHAHA!!

Furygrrl – Oh yeah, there was defiantly some foreshadowing going on! Thanks!

A special shout out to Lady Faravey, who reviewed my other fic. Thanks, glad you enjoyed it – and it's my Pietro plushie! Mine! Mine! (Gets dragged away by nice men in white coats…)

Disclaimer: I don't own X-Men: Evolution. I own nothing. My middle name is poverty.

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Kitty sat on her suitcase and sighed. "I'm gonna be dead in like two days!"

            "You'll be fine." Jean eyed Ironback Survival Camp and grimaced. How had she let Mystique talk her into this? Survival training in the wilderness and the X-Men were there too.

            Fred glared at Scott Summers retreating back. "Group leader? Scholastic achievement? That shoulda been me!"

            "You can't even spell scholastic achievement Blob," snorted Pietro.

            Jean tuned out, barely aware of the Brotherhoods bickering. Her head ached the way it did when she overused her telepathy. But she hadn't used her powers all day.

            "Uh, you coming with us?"

            "What?" Jean glanced at Rogues shy expression and realised the rest of the Brotherhood were leaving without her. "Oh yeah, I'm just distracted." She grabbed her bag and followed them, realising that it was going to be a long day.

            She was right. After Scott had used his powers to knock Lance out of a boat and Fred started an argument about it, she'd had enough, just wanted to go home. But no, Sergeant Hawk had to punish them all for the quarrel. Sixty push-ups! Even that wasn't enough for him. Jean was seriously beginning to think the man was a sadist when he told them to retrieve a flag from the top of a mountain.

            "Cakewalk!" smirked Pietro. "The rest of the team can take a sauna. I'll get it myself."

            "Not if I beat you to it," replied Kurt.

            "The whole team or none of you!" Sergeant Hawk began barking instructions again and Jean closed her eyes. What had she done to deserve this?

            Lance glared at Scott as the X-Men began to leave. "Better say your prayers _Sumner_, 'cause you guys aren't coming back."

            "You got something in mind, Rock-Tumbler?" Scott put a hand to his shades, ready to fire. "'Cause I – "

            "Chill out Scott," said Kurt diplomatically.

            "What? I'm fed up of these delinquents getting away with everythin while we're stuck playing by the rules!"

            "Hey, we don't need our powers to beat you," Lance responded.

            "Oh fine then. We'll all play it straight and y'know what? We'll wave to you from the top."

            "Then it's agreed. No powers." Jean stalked off, followed by the rest of the Brotherhood.

            "Are we really not gonna use our powers?" Rogue asked her as they left.

            "Don't be stupid."

                                    00000000000000000000000000000

            "What's taking you so long?" Todd laughed as he hopped easily up the side of the mountain.

            Fred was climbing steadily after him, ropes attached to his back pulling up Lance, Pietro, Kitty and Rogue. Pietro eyed the less than pleasant view nervously. "Man, if he slips and falls, we are history! Death by blubberbomb!"

            "Fastest way to the top is a straight line Pietro." Lance glanced over to Kitty to check Kitty was alright. "We are winning this race, make no mistake."

            "Like, why can't Jean just levitate us al to the top?" asked Kitty.

            "Fred's too heavy, you know that." Rogue blew a strand of hair out of her face. "Besides, she doesn't look too well."

            "Hey Freddy, a helping hand!" yelled Lance as the other boy climbed onto a ridge. Fred yanked the four of them up none too gently and for a few moments they lay in a groaning heap.

            Jean flew up behind them and landed beside Fred, checking out the side of the mountain. "An abandoned mine?"

            "Toad's checking it out."

            Todd reappeared at the entrance to the mine. "Hey, there's a tunnel in there that's like a stairway to the top."

            "Now you're talking!" Lance stood up and brushed dust off his clothes. "That flag is ours!"

            The group walked into the mine and followed the path. Jean began massaging her temples and Rogue looked at her in concern. "Are you alright?"

            "Yeah. Just a headache." Jean smiled weakly, cursing herself for Rogues crush. She could have done without it just then. "I'll be fine once I lie down for – oh, what now?"

            The path was completely blocked by a rockslide. Lance grabbed Todd by the collar and shoved him against the wall, the ground beginning to shake. "You bonehead! We can't get through there – we probably lost because of you!"

            "I – I thought you could, y'know, avalanche it loose a little bit."

            "He's right," said Pietro. "Give it some more juice and you'll unclog it."

            "Alright. Stand back."

            Lance started another tremor and rocks began falling. Too many.

            "Look out it's coming down!" yelled Fred.

            The rocks fell toward them – then stopped, suspended in mid-air.

            "I can't hold them for long," said Jean, frowning in concentration. "Everyone grab onto Kitty."

            "Ah don't know why we couldn't just do that in the first place," said Rogue, shooting an angry look at Lance.

            Jean released her telepathic hold on the rocks, which passed harmlessly through the Brotherhood as they became intangible. They walked through the blockage and out of the mine.

            "There it is!" Kitty pointed to the flag, so close that they couldn't be beaten to it.

            "It's them!" Rogue pointed down to where Scott, Kurt and Evan were stood on a lower ledge. Scott looked up and glared at them through his shades, saying something to Kurt.

            "They're gonna 'port!" shouted Rogue.

            "I'm there." Pietro sped past them all and arrived at the flag at exactly the same time as the X-Men. He and Kurt both grabbed for the flag and began tussling for it.

            Suddenly, the X-Jet appeared from behind the mountain as the rest of the Brotherhood rushed to the flag, the back draft almost blowing them over. Storms amplified voice emerged from the jet.

            "X-Men. The Professor is in danger – and so is Mystique."

            Scott glanced over at Jean. "Up for it?"

            "I'm up for anything."

                                    000000000000000000000000000

At school on Monday, Scott leant against his locker watching Kitty and Lance say a prolonged goodbye outside a nearby classroom. Kurt wandered up to him and noticed him the scene. "Sickening, isn't it?"

            "It felt kinda right, didn't it?" said Scott thoughtfully, turning to face the younger boy. "Us and them, fighting alongside. I mean, why can't they just stop drawing battle lines in the sand?"

            "Because we're different. We _are_ outsiders."

            Scott and Kurt turned, startled. Kitty Pryde was stood there, looking at the floor. She'd never spoken to the X-Men without the Brotherhood beside her, went out of her was to avoid them.

            "Being different doesn't make us outsiders," said Kurt.

            "Yeah? Try walking the halls blue and fuzzy and like, see how may friends you have then."

            "I already have friends who know what I look like." Kurt examined Kitty's downcast expression. "You don't really believe vot Mystique says, do you?"  
            Kitty shrugged. "I dunno. It's just – I don't like being different. But I am. Might as well accept it."

            "We're not zat different."

            "Yeah," added Scott. "We can introduce ourselves to the rest of humanity as friends."

            "Like, that'll work." Kitty glared at Scott. "They'll never accept us. You saw how my parents reacted."

            Scott hesitated, knowing he'd only alienate her if he mentioned what Jean had done to their minds. "They just need time to get used to the idea."

            "Ven people find out about us, zey will be concerned," said Kurt. "But zey will get used to us. Ve vill gain zhere trust in ze end."

            "I wish that was true," said Kitty. "But I'd be afraid to come to school if people knew. What you guys want to do is cool and all – but you're wrong." With that, she turned and hurried off.

            Kurt watched her leaving. "Zat vos unexpected."

            "Maybe she's not as convinced by Mystique as the rest of the Brotherhood are," replied Scott thoughtfully. "I just hope for her sake that Jean doesn't realise that."


	8. Stalking and Arguments

Thanks to:

LadyEvils – I'm doing some of the chapters a bit out of sync and some of them don't happen because of the changes in line-up – the next chapter is based on an episode though!

Steph14Wales – hey, you know my obsession with Evo! Never use your own words when a line from Evo will suffice!

Furygrrl – that was the fastest I've ever updated! There's more nasty Jean in this chappie and loads in the next! There won't be any Dark Phoenix, but by the end of the fic, you might wonder … (lol!) Destiny will make an appearance and she does check in via phone in this one. Thanks for the review!

X00001 – thanks for the review! Hope you like this one!

DemonRogue13 – stalking chapter! Hope you enjoy!

Lyranfan – oh yeah, Risty will turn up at some point later on. Thanks for the reviews!

Rogue14 – Thanks for the review!

Mats Forsen – Jean ain't changing – I'm having too much fun writing about her evilness! Thanks for the review!

Raphaella – Thanks for the review! There's gonna be a lot more surprises yet…

Terror – shadowed past won't be showing up here – YET! Only because Rogue hasn't touched Mystique. But I haven't ruled it out for the future…

UniversalAnimeGirl – I hadn't planned on the Mystique/Jean confrontation until so many people asked for it! I'm sure Mystique would prefer Rogue to be a lesbian, based on her comic book, and I'm not planning to have the Darkholme family secrets revealed just yet. And it's gonna get more complicated!

XX-Goth-Gal – Thanks for the review! It was a happy sniffle, trust me. And Jean is heading for a headache, quite different from the show…

This is only gonna be a short chapter, coz I'm actually supposed to be studying for an exam (Ha! Yeah, right). The next chapter will be longer though. Also, this is the first chapter I wrote directly onto the computer and was not in my original story plan; so let me know what you thought!

Disclaimer: I don't own X-Men: Evolution or anything associated with it. I can't think of anything amusing to say here. Please make something up.

                                    0000000000000000000000000

"Eeew! It's that creepy Goth kid again." Taryn slammed her locker shut and glared at Rogue, who was lurking behind her own locker and watching the group. "Is she stalking you or something?"

            "Yeah Jean, what's up with her?" Amy wound a strand of hair around her finger and looked curiously at the redhead. "I know you guys live in the same house and all, but she hangs around you all the time. Doesn't she have any friends of her own?"

            "She's OK," said Jean, glancing over at Rogue, who had realised she was being talked about and was busying herself in her locker.

            "She's _weird_," said Taryn firmly. "Anyone would think she had a crush on you!"

            The three girls laughed and Rogue flushed, closed her locker and hurried off in the other direction. Jean was glad. She would have just given Rogue a crush on Blob if she'd known the girl would follow her around like a lost puppy.

            "Anyway." Taryn smiled coyly. "I was thinking of asking Scott Summers if he wants to come to the movies this weekend."

            "Totally Hollywood in those shades," said Amy dreamily.

            "You are joking," said Jean in disbelief. "_Scott Summers_? He's such a _loser_!"

            "He's cute!" Taryn frowned at Jean. "I know you guys at the Brotherhood Boarding House don't like the kids at the Xavier Institute, but Scott's cool."

            "He's a total jerk," insisted Jean. "Amy, back me up here!"

            Amy stared vacantly at Taryn for a moment, a glazed look in her eyes. "Jean's right. Summers is a loser. All those Xavier kids are weird. You should steer clear."

            "You changed your mind in a hurry, just because _Jean_ doesn't like him," replied Taryn, stung. "If anyone's weird, it's those boys that _she_ lives with. And the girls! That creepy Goth hanging around all the time and Little Miss Valley Girl who's so pleased with herself…"

            "They're not that bad," said Jean, scowling at Taryn. "And Summers is a loser."

            "You're right," said Taryn, rubbing her forehead and gazing into the distance. "I don't like Summers. He's trash. And those shades! Who does he think he is, Brad Pitt?"

            "I knew you'd see things my way in the end," said Jean, just a touch too smug.

            "Hey babe." Duncan strolled up behind her and put an arm around her waist. "Ready to go?"

            "Sure." Jean went with him, waving at the two girls as she left. "Duncan, I was thinking we could…"

            "Uh, Jean?"

            Jean sighed as Rogue appeared in front of them. "What?"

            "Well, uh, I thought about getting a film out tonight and I just wondered if there's anything you wanted to see."

            "No, nothing I wanna see."

            "Yeah, and she'll be home late," added Duncan. "So stop hanging around and get lost, freak."

            Rogues face fell as the couple walked past her without another word. She'd thought Jean liked her, as a friend if nothing else, but with her clique laughing earlier and now not sticking up for her when her dick boyfriend called her names made her wonder…

            _Why would she want to stick up for you? They're right, you're a freak and she's the most popular and pretty girl in school._

            Dejectedly, she hung her head and walked slowly out of the school, not noticing the student stood outside one of the classrooms, watching her through yellow eyes.

                                    0000000000000000000000000

Jean arrived home late. Kitty and Lance were laughing at something on the TV, Blob was dozing on the couch, Toad was drawing on his face in Magic Marker and Pietro was still out on a date. Rogue was sat on a chair in the corner and looked up as soon as Jean walked through the door. "Hey, you have a good time?"

            "It was alright," replied Jean disinterestedly, going straight up to her room. She could not cope with Rogue that night. She slammed her bedroom door and threw herself onto the bed, not pleased when some one knocked.

            "What is it Mystique?"

            Mystique entered the room and glared at Jean. "I saw what happened at school today, with you and Rogue. What did you do to her mind?"

            "Exactly what you asked me to! I got rid of her crush on Summers and now she has a reason to be loyal to the Brotherhood!"

            "You made her crush on you!"

            "Yeah, I did. I thought you of all people wouldn't mind that."

            "It's not the crush I mind. It's the way you treat her at school, the way you and your friends laugh at my…at Rogue."

            "_Your_ Rogue? _Your_ Rogue?" Jean jumped off the bed, eyes blazing. "That's been the trouble ever since she got here! _I'm_ the one who brings the most to this team, _me_! But all you think about is your little Rogue. Well, she's _my_ Rogue now and there's _nothing you can do about it_!"

            "How dare you speak to me like that! If it wasn't for me, you'd be living on the streets, scrounging for food, unable to control your powers…"

            "I can barely control them now! You've been no help at all!"

            "You ungrateful…stop that!"

            Mystique rose into the air, seemingly of her own accord, and floated backwards out of the room. She grabbed onto the doorframe to try to stop herself, but her hands were wrenched loose and the door slammed shut in her face. For a moment she glared at the door, too furious even to breathe, before she heard a noise from her own room. Her phone, ringing with the tone she used only for Irene's calls. Gritting her teeth, she stormed into her room and answered.

            "This had better be important."

            "You just had an argument with Jean."

            "I thought you were supposed to see the future, not the present."

            "If you ever listened to your messages, I foresaw this an hour ago. My premonitions for Jeans future are becoming somewhat…vague."

            "I don't care about her future. I want her out of my house!"

            "No! If she goes, the whole Brotherhood will go with her – including Rogue."

            "Rogue would not turn her back on me. Not after everything I've done for her."

            "Without Jeans intervention, she would already have gone to the X-Men. And right now, Jean is making sure that if she goes, everyone goes."

            "She's altering their minds?" Mystique gripped the phone more tightly. "I will kill her. Now."

            "Raven, no! You can't. She's a child and invaluable to our cause. I can see two pathways, one where the Brotherhood leave and another, where they stay. But you will have to make your peace with Jean. If she controls the Brotherhood, it can only lead to ruin."

            "_I_ have to make peace with _her_? Do you know what she has done to Rogue?"

            "I know. But without her, we would already have lost Rogue. This is the only way Raven. Swallow your anger."

            "Destiny, you had better be right."

            Mystique terminated the call and went back to Jeans room. She was furious, barely able to unclench her fists and bring her emotions under control. Only the knowledge that Irene was never wrong in her predictions made her knock at the closed door.

            "Go away Mystique. I've nothing more to say to you."

            "I came to tell you that I think you were right to change Rogues mind in that way." Was this what raising teenagers was like? She was glad she'd never bothered with it. "I accept that it was necessary."

            "You do?" The door opened of its own accord and Jean looked at her curiously.

            "I know this was the only way to keep Rogue with us." Mystique entered the room cautiously. "I wish you would be nicer to her at school. She can't deal with the person she trusts most laughing at her."

            "Yeah. I know." Jeans expression showed some shame. "It's just that I've had so many headaches recently and Duncan and Taryn think it's funny when she follows me around and sometimes I just can't deal."

            "Why not just go into her head and make her turn around and leave?"

            "It's hard with Rogue, I told you. All those other personalities."

            "Try. We don't need to alienate her. If she discovers our deceit…"

            "I know. I'm sorry. I don't know why I'm like this lately."

            "Don't worry. Just keep your temper in future. I don't hold Rogue in higher regard than you. She is merely more volatile and needs careful handling."

            Mystique left the room and gave in to her urge to clench her hands into fists. Jean Grey was going to pay for this someday. She didn't care how long it took, she would have her revenge.


	9. Power Surge!

Thanks to:

Steph14Wales – glad you liked the Jean/Taryn stress! Enjoy! And I'll mail you with my thoughts on 'Cruise Control' and mark it a spoiler in case you have to watch the repeat.

Risty – yeah! That's it exactly! I didn't want to totally change Jeans character, so instead I had Mystique persuade her to change the little things and now it does seem necessary, not to mention it makes her life easier. Glad you like Mystique, for some reason I find her really hard to write. Thanks for the review!

Rogue14 – Mystique will have to wait a while for her revenge, but they will butt heads again! Thanks for reviewing!

Wen1 – no, Duncan doesn't count as anyone! I'm undecided about a minor flirtation with some one later in the fic, but it's not gonna be serious. I do like Jean and Scott together, but I don't think they'd get together here. Glad you like it and thanks for the review!

Carol J – the Frankenstein analogy is perfect! I so wish I'd thought of it! I didn't have Jean read her mind because it would ruin things later on (lol!) and I made it so that Jean has trouble reading Mystiques mind. The reason why will become clear on two or three chapters…Thanks for the review!

X00001 – Mystique and Jean are in for tumultuous times! Thanks for the review!

Lyranfan – I didn't originally plan for Mystique and Jean to butt heads at this point, but I couldn't resist! I'm glad you found it realistic. Thanks for the review!

DemonRogue13 – doing the stalker stuff was fun! I'm glad you liked the argument, my favourite part was when Jean said "She's _my_ Rogue", I had fun writing it. Thanks for the review!

LadyEvils – if you felt sorry for Rogue before, wait and see how you feel by the end of this chapter! I always felt sorry for Rogue, crush on Scott and he barely notices her, although he doesn't treat her badly like Jean does. Thanks for the review!

XX-Goth-Gal – yeah, Jean is really mean to Rogue! Mystique will have to wait a while to get revenge, the reason to be revealed in this chapter…Thanks for the review!

Furygrrl – nah, I don't think Scotty's a hottie either! I thought Jean might take the BH with her if she was feeling spiteful when she left and it would be easy for her to do. I was gonna have the ring tone for Destiny be the theme tune for Futurama, but I forgot to put it in. This is the Jean flakes out chappie – hope you enjoy it! And is this my fastest update ever or what? Thanks for the review!

Disclaimer: The disclaimer got twisted out of shape and is now floating around the Brotherhood house. I am so not going after it!

Before I start – _{This is telepathic thoughts}_

000000000000000000000000000

Jean was in soccer practise when it happened for the first time.

One moment she was celebrating her second goal of the day, a perfectly executed shot into the upper left-hand corner of the net, the next it felt like some one had flipped a switch in her head and a cacophony of voices assaulted her mind.

_{…lucky goal, don't know…}_

_ {…never be on the team while she…}_

_ {…meet up with him after…}_

_ {…looks like she…}_

Putting her hands to her ears, Jean squeezed her eyes shut, willing the voices to stop. It made no difference at all.

_{…says it's not dyed but I bet…}_

_ {…doesn't look too…}_

_ {…acting weird for…}_

_ {…headache or…}_

Just as she felt like screaming at them all to shut the hell up, the voices stopped as suddenly as they started. Cautiously, she lowered her hands and opened her eyes to see a concerned crowd around her.

"Uh…just a migraine," she said quickly. "It's gone now."

Mr McCoy put a hand on her shoulder. "Do you want to go home for the rest of the day?"

"Yeah, I will," replied Jean, still feeling a little shaken.

"Shall I arrange for some one to drive you?"

"No, I'll walk. Might do me some good."

Changing her clothes quickly and answering the well-meaning but irritating questions of her teammates, Jean hoped fervently that the incident was a one-off. She walked back to the Brotherhood house and spent the rest of the day lying on her bed, trying to overcome the headache that nagged at her. When the others returned from school, Rogue brought her up a meal that she couldn't eat and then she was left alone for the rest of the evening. It wasn't until the rest of the Brotherhood were watching an action film on the TV that she began hearing their thoughts.

_{…more girls than that Bond guy…}_

_ {…hope she's OK, don't know how to tell her how I…}_

_ {…hungry, wonder if there's any…}_

_ {…how cool is…}_

_ {…dumbest film I've ever…}_

_ {…only moths and I don't…}_

"No, not again," she whimpered, covering her head with a pillow, trying to drown out the voices. It didn't work.

_{…don't bother saying…}_

_ {…check on her but…}_

_ {…earlier than usual coz…}_

"Jean?"

The voices stopped abruptly and Jean took her head from beneath the pillow, realising that she was no longer alone in the room. Mystique was stood by the bed, arms folded, eyebrows raised.

"Have you been having problems with your telepathy?"

"I'm just tired. Maybe I've been pushing myself too hard."

"Maybe."

Mystique didn't look convinced and Jean tried to reassure her. "I'm sure I'll be alright after I've had some sleep." _And even if I'm not, what can you do about it?_

"Then I'll leave you to sleep." Mystique exited and went down the hall to her own room. It was time she made a phone call.

000000000000000000000000000000

Jean managed to get through the next day without incident. Rogue and Kitty had lunch with her and stopped by her locker between lessons to check on her. She could sense their genuine concern and she was too worried about letting her mental defences slip to care much about her friends and what they were talking about.

Duncan caught up with her as she walked to her final class of the day. "Hey babe. Meet me after school, we'll go for a drive."

"I can't tonight," said Jean irritably. "I'm getting a ride home with Lance."

"Yeah, if that heap of rust he calls a jeep can get that far without breaking down." Duncan laughed and Jean rolled her eyes. He wouldn't have dared make that comment had Lance been in earshot. "Seriously, I'll meet you at your locker…"

"I said I can't!" Jean arrived at her classroom and paused for a moment. "Look, I'll call you, OK?"

Knowing that Duncan probably wouldn't give up, she didn't bother going to her locker after class. Instead, she went straight into the parking lot to Lances jeep, which was parked in the far corner beside the bicycle rack. She was the first one there and stood waiting for the others, tapping her foot impatiently. Eventually she noticed Lance, Fred and Todd heading her way and raised her hand to greet them.

The assault on her senses was so sudden she had no time to prepare herself.

_{…tons of homework tonight never…}_

_ {…don't know why he has to…}_

_ {…on the TV tonight so I'll…}_

Jean covered her ears and fell to her knees, praying that the voices would stop. Instead, they grew louder, more and more joining in the noise.

_ {…and mother just don't get it…}_

_ {…hate her that skanky…}_

_ {…this weekend but it's gonna…}_

_ {…need to sort it out before…}_

_ {…like I never…}_

_ {…totally wrong…}_

_ {…hate it…}_

_ {…need…}_

Looking over at his jeep, Lance noticed the row of cycles he'd parked beside begin to shudder, the frames twisting out of shape.

"What the…"

Then he saw Jean on her knees beside the car, her eyes tightly closed, gritting her teeth. A carelessly discarded bottle flew up into the air, circled her head twice, then flew at them with amazing force, hitting Fred square in the middle of his forehead.

"Hey!" said Blob crossly, rubbing the spot. "What's she doing?"

"This doesn't look good yo," said Todd.

Lance ran over to Jean, catching her as she fell forward and picking her up. "Is Darkholme's car still there?"

"No, it's gone already."

"Shit! Blob, get the door. Toad, go get the girls and Pietro, tell them to get home."

"Pietro skipped out after – "

"SHIT! Just tell Kitty and Rogue what's happening."

Toad hopped off toward the school and Lance bundled Jean into the backseat of the jeep. "Fred, get in. We've gotta get home before anyone notices."

Fred managed to squeeze into the front passenger seat and Lance sped off, getting back to the Brotherhood house in record time. He carried Jeans motionless body into the house, startling Pietro who was sitting in front of the TV.

"What happened to her?" he asked as Lance dropped Jean on the couch.

"Her powers – "

"Oh shit it's happening again!" yelled Fred as the unwashed plates and glasses levitated from the table and began circling the room. Jeans inert form slowly rose from the couch until she hovered about four feet in the air, still unconscious.

"Let's get out of here!" ordered Lance as the TV and chairs flew into the air. The three boys ran into the relative safety of the hallway and peered nervously around the doorframe at a living room that had become a hurricane, with Jean as its eye.

"Oh man, the TV!" groaned Pietro as the box floated past their line of sight and suddenly twisted into a new and interesting shape, spewing broken glass.

"Pietro, go find Mystique," said Lance. "She was gonna go see that Forge guy and his folks. Don't let him know what's happening or we'll never recruit him!"

"I'm there." Pietro disappeared in a blur of speed.

Lance and Fred kept a nervous eye on Jean for a few minutes. Every piece of furniture was airborne, being twisted out of shape, all avoiding the girl floating in midair. After what seemed like an eternity to the pair, the front door burst open and Lance looked up, hoping for Mystique – but it was Kitty, Rogue and Todd.

"Oh mah God!" exclaimed Rogue as she took in the scene.

"This place is a dump," observed Todd.

"So like, what are we gonna do?" asked Kitty. "We can't just leave her like that!"

"Pietro's gone to find Mystique," Lance told her.

Rogue stood in the doorway to the living room, staring at the scene. Jean, the person she felt the most for, in serious trouble, unable to control her powers. She needed to help her in any way she could. And if she did, maybe Jean would realise just how much Rogue cared for her and stop treating her so shabbily…

"We can't wait."

"And what do you suggest?" Lance sounded irritated.

"Kitty, can you phase us through that stuff?"

"Sure."

"If ah can drain off some of her power, maybe she can regain control."

"Or maybe we'll end up with two telekinetic trashing the house," pointed out Lance.

"Got any better ideas?"

Lance shook his head. "But if this goes wrong…"

"It won't."

Rogue removed the glove from her right hand and Kitty took her left hand. The pair hurried towards Jean, her powers not affecting them in their intangible state and the furniture passing harmlessly through them – but Rogue could see that she was going to have a problem as soon as she let go of Shadowcat to touch Jean. Noticing the cable from the TV flapping from the wall, she decided to use it to hang on to and pulled Kitty in that direction. As soon as she was within reaching distance of the cable, she let go of Kitty's hand and grabbed it, but found herself swept away from Jean in the telekinetic gale.

Kitty hurried out of the room and the Brotherhood watched anxiously as Rogue tried to make skin contact with Jean. Two inches…one inch…

The front door burst open and Mystique dashed in, followed by Pietro. Upon seeing what was about to happen, her eyes grew wide. "NO! ROGUE DON'T!"

Too late. Rogue finally managed to put her hand on Jeans face and began draining her powers. For several seconds they maintained skin contact, then the cable finally snapped and Rogue was thrown across the room. Lance broke cover to catch her, causing them to land in a heap in the hallway, the girl not even seeming conscious.

Mystique glanced at Rogue, saw the Brotherhood taking care of her and advanced into the living room. "Jean? Can you hear me?"

No response. Mystique thought for a moment, then morphed into Rogue. "Jean, talk to me!"

"Rogue?"

Jeans voice – but it had come from behind her. Mystique turned and saw the Brotherhood backing away from the real Rogue in a hurry.

"Jean?"

"I can't – where are you?"

The words were coming out of Rogues mouth, but the voice was definitely Jeans. Mystique knelt next to Rogue, still in the guise of the Goth.

"OK," muttered Kitty. "Now that is like, totally surreal."

"Jean, concentrate," said Mystique. "You've lost control of your powers."

"Rogue? Where am I?"

Mystique glanced behind her to where Jeans body still floated in the air surrounded by flying debris and then turned her attention back to Rogues body. "You're in the Brotherhood house. Jean, you have to get control!"

"I can't! Too many voices – "

"You have to Jean. Ah'll be here for you, ah know you better than anyone ever has! Ah know you can do it!"

"Rogue I can't!"

Mystique changed strategies and morphed into Scott Summers. "I knew it! You're weak. Guess this means I win!"

"NO!"

The cry came simultaneously from both Rogues mouth and Jeans. Rogue opened her eyes. At the same time, the objects flying around the living room crashed to the floor. The Brotherhood turned to see Jean collapse to the ground.

Regaining her own blue-skinned form, Mystique hurried over to Jeans side. The redhead was still unconscious. Raven lifted her head from the floor. "Jean? Wake up!"

Fred knelt down next to Rogue and helped her to sit up. "Are you alright?"

Rogue buried her head in her hands. "She lied to me."

"What?"

"Lied to me. Both of them. _That bitch fucked with my mind_!"

Getting clumsily to her feet, Rogue ran out of the front door as the Brotherhood stared after her in disbelief.

"No, wait! Rogue!" Mystique dropped Jean and raced to the front door, desperately searching for any sign of the girl.

Kitty took hold of Lances arm and pulled him toward the kitchen. "We have to leave."

"I wanna know – "

"We have to go _now_!"

The couple went into the kitchen and Kitty phased them through the wall. Lances jeep was parked at the side of the house and they climbed into it.

"You felt it too, didn't you?" Lances voice was filled with barely controlled fury. "Jean did something to our minds!"

Kitty nodded. "It was like as soon as Rogue opened her eyes I realised that it's been Jeans voice in my head ever since – "

"What the _fuck_ is that?"

A shiny metal sphere was descending from the sky, heading for the front of the Brotherhood house.

"I don't know," said Kitty. "And I don't _wanna_ know. Let's just get outta here!"

Mystique stood in the doorway of the house as her plans crumbled around her. Rogue was gone. The sound of the jeeps engine told her that Lance and Kitty had snuck away. And their founder had just arrived to witness it all.

The seamless orb opened and out stepped an angry Magneto.

"Am I to assume that your scheme has gone awry?"

A crack of thunder made Raven jump. "J-Just a temporary setback. When Jean recovers…"

Magneto floated imperiously into the house, ignoring Pietro, Fred and Todd, who were stood near the stairs. "Yes, when Jean recovers. That looks unlikely, doesn't it? I warned you about relying too much in the telepath instead of solving problems yourself."

"They'll come back!"

"I doubt it. You have failed Mystique. But you will have another chance to prove yourself." Magnetos eyes glittered coldly behind his helmet. "For now, Jean will come with me. I have a way for her to overcome this…setback."

"I – I don't understand."

"Nor would I expect you to. But soon, all of Mutantkind will know of my plans. Beginning with Jean Grey."

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Authors note: I know this chapter is out of sync. I thought that without Xavier training her, Jean would lose control of her telepathy much faster than she did in the series. Mystique's not a telepath and couldn't help her the way Xavier could. So go to the review button and leave me your thoughts on this chapter!


	10. Never Was and Never Will Be

Thanks to:

Steph14Wales – I love rewriting the episodes with my own evil twists! It's great fun!

Oceanbang – thanks for the great reviews! I do try to keep in dialogue when I'm covering episodes (even if some one else says it) because I think it sounds closer to the original and more convincing when something not on the series happens. I wanted to make Evil Jean as close to her original character as possible and not make her a bitch queen from hell from the get-go – glad you enjoyed it!

Risty – no Magneto in this chapter, but loads in the next one! And Lance is soooo angry! Rogue, Kitty and Lance have issues following this, so keep checking in! Oh my God, was that shameless self-promotion or what?

Rogue14 – yeah, Rogue knows now and she is pissed off! There's gonna be fireworks at some point…

LadyEvils – wow, thanks! I've never been called a genius before (without the prefix "evil", lol). Mystique and Magneto are not happy, but this chapter doesn't deal with them, so I'm sorry, you'll have to wait for the next one to discover their plans!

XX-Goth-Gal – you're right, Mystique just had a really bad day! I've no plans for a new Rogue crush, but I think she may regain an old one, and I've a truly evil idea for the ending which might change her whole romantic life – hahahaha! To be honest, I don't think she'll dare crush on anyone after all this for a while at least.

DemonRogue13 – oh yeah, Jean was bound to lose control with the things she was doing.

Furygrrl – the only time I'll ever get compared to Pietro (damn!). I think the ending will be in 7 or so chapters…and I'm thinking of a sequel! Sorry, but Jean's not in this chapter. She's gonna return in the next one though – with a vengeance!

Lyranfan – this was a chap I had a problem with the wording with, most episodes I have on video and can check if I'm not sure, but I don't have power surge. Had to rely on my memory – glad it was accurate! I thought if she heard too many voices at once she wouldn't be able to make out which thoughts were which, hence the snippets. Glad you liked it!

Deb1 – yeah, I thought she'd lose control more quickly too and I'd forgotten she'd had problems before (hits self on head with rolled-up comic book).

UniversalAnimeGirl – the thunder was for effect, mostly for this chapter. Yeah, the cauldron's on the horizon! And the white hair was too bizarre, I don't know if I'm gonna go there yet. The defectors are gonna be in the foreground, but not the main focus of the story – main focus on Jean! And Rogue's gonna have just one thing on her mind from now on…

Zeroeye – thanks for the review! I love getting new reviewers and I'm glad you liked it!

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Disclaimer: I don't own X-Men: Evolution. I wish I did. There'd be a fifth series…and a sixth…and a seventh…

The rain was coming down hard as the jeep pulled up outside the Xavier Institute. It wasn't helping Lances mood one bit. The more he thought about it, the more he realised that Jean had been manipulating him all along. He'd suspected her for a while, then – what? Just forgot? Woke up trusting her? How likely was that?

            And what had she done to Kitty?

            Was Jeans telepathy the only reason that they were together?

            "The last thing we need is another telepath messing with our heads," he growled.

            "I'm sorry Lance," replied Kitty quietly, her gaze on the floor. "But I _need_ to know what she did to us, how much of our memories she altered. I couldn't live with not knowing."

            "And if Xavier decides to do a little mind control of his own?"

            "I have to trust him. There's no other choice."

            _That's the Hell of it,_ thought Lance bitterly. _If we want to know the truth, this is the only way._

_            Do I want to know the truth?_

"Lance? You don't have to do this if you don't want to."

            "I know." Lance took Kitty's hand and squeezed it briefly. "We're in this together."

            They got out of the jeep and looked at the gates. A flickering keypad on the wall indicated that the security system was on.

            "I could just phase us through…"

            "Forget that. I feel like destroying something."

            The ground shook, causing the gates to buckle and allow them entry. As they walked through the grounds, laser cannons rose from the ground and took aim. They were rapidly dispatched by more quakes.

            Wolverine, Storm, Evan and Scott burst through the mansion doors, still I civilian dress. Kurt bamfed into view beside them, his tail twitching. Lance and Kitty regarded them casually.

            _Snikt_.

            "Something we can do for ya, _bub_?"

            Kitty put her hand on Lances arm to prevent him from saying something rash. "We like, need to speak to Professor Xavier."

            Evan snorted. "And why would we let you do that?"

            "Whatever it is, why doncha tell us first." Logan kept his claws out and sniffed the air. There were no other Brotherhood members in the area and it made him think the sudden appearance of Lance and Kitty wasn't a trick.

            _{That's all right Logan.}_ The Professor spoke to all the X-Men through his telepathy. _{Let's hear what they have to say.}_

            Logan glared at the teens for a moment before retracting his claws. "Follow us," he said gruffly, clearly unhappy about letting them into the mansion.

            Lance and Kitty took no notice of the opulent surroundings and Lance was too distracted to pocket any 'souvenirs' as they were let to Professor Xavier's office. There were no more attempts at conversation.

            Professor Xavier hid his wariness from everyone as the couple entered his office. "Lance, Kitty. How can we help you?"

            "I want them out." Lance indicated to the X-Men stood by the door.

            "Lance!" Kitty glared at her boyfriend. "What he means is that it's kinda difficult discussing this in front of them."

            The Professor nodded. "Alright. Scott, Kurt, Evan, could you leave us?"

            "I don't like this Professor," insisted Scott.

            "Don't worry," growled Logan. "Storm n' me'll be right here."

            When the three teen X-Men had left, Xavier returned his attention back to Lance and Kitty. He could sense the anger coming from Lance and although Kitty was angry to, he could detect confusion and fear in her thoughts.

            "Why don't you tell me what's going on?"

            "Jean." Lance clenched his fists. "She's been messing with our minds. We need to know what she did."

            "I see." Professor Xavier kept his voice neutral. "When did you find this out?"

            "Tonight," said Kitty. "About an hour ago. It's all gone like, totally crazy…"

            "Kitty…" said Lance warningly.

            "What?" Kitty turned towards him, eyes blazing, showing her own fury for the first time since they'd discovered the truth. "The Brotherhood have been _lying_ to us all along and you still wanna protect them? Well I'm _through_ with it, y'hear?"

            "I hear. But why should we trust _these_ guys?"  
            "_There's no one else left!_"

            The room was silent for a moment, then Lance sighed. "OK. It's your call."

            Kitty turned back to the Professor. "Jeans powers went crazy and there was stuff flying round the house and Rogue touched her and then she started talking like Jean and then she ran away and me and Lance realised she'd been messing with our minds and then we left too and there was a big metal ball!"

            "Did that make sense to anyone?" asked Logan.

            I was afraid of this, said the Professor. "Kitty, if I read your mind I might be able to…"

            "No way." Lance glared at the Professor. "We're sick of our heads being messed with."

            "Lance, this is important. We need to know exactly what Jean did, not just to your minds but also to others. I may be able to help you."

            "Fine then. But you'll read my mind, no one's screwing with Kitty's mind anymore."

            Professor Xavier nodded and made a quick scan of Lances thoughts. What he saw there only increased his worry. "Logan, I need you track the Rogue. She's discovered Jeans manipulations and it's left her angry and confused.

            "That's just great," growled Logan as he left. Tracking a disturbed teen through the pouring rain was not his idea of a good time.

            The Professor tried to hide his concern from the two teens. "When I scanned Lances mind, I found no traces of any telepathic control remaining. It seems that when Jean lost control, it voided her previous mental blocks. But Jean certainly changed some of your memories for a time and there may be repercussions from that."

            "I doubt you'll want to return to the Brotherhood," added Ororo. "If you remain at the mansion, we can help you recover from this."

            Lance and Kitty exchanged glances. "Thanks for the offer," said Kitty hesitantly. "But we need to work through this on our own."

            "We're gonna get out of Bayville for a few weeks," said Lance. "Work out what we really want without anyone else deciding for us." _And work out if Kitty and me are really in love or if it was Jean making us think we were._

            The Professor nodded. "I understand. But Ororos offer still stands. Should you decided to return, we'd be glad to have you here. And get in touch if you need anything."

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Logan found the girl at Lookout Point.

            She was crouched under a tree, her head down, soaked through. He dismounted his motorcycle and approached her cautiously. She didn't seem to have heard the bikes engine although he had made no attempt at stealth and he didn't want to spook her, certainly not if she still had Jeans powers as well as her own.

            "Hey kid."

            Raising her head, she glared at him, apparently unsurprised to see him. Her hair clung damply to her face and her make up was almost totally washed away. Her lack of response unnerved him and he walked closer, only to find himself telekinetically pinned to the spot.

            "Go _away_."

            Logan frowned and tried another tactic. "Look kid, I'm not gonna lie to you, getting over this ain't gonna be easy. Somethin about betrayal always stays with you. But you deal with it. You move on."

            "Oh trust me. Ah'll deal with it."

            He regarded her for a moment and decided not to comment. Then he realised he was no longer being restrained and raised an eyebrow.  "What, you're not scared of the X-Men any more?"  
            Rogue shrugged. "When ah touched Jean, ah saw enough to know you're not mah enemy. And ah can still read your mind."

            "Think you could stop doin that?"  
            "Ah'm trying! Ah got enough people in mah head without your thoughts in there too."

            Logan went closer and leant against the tree she was sat beneath. "Avalanche and Shadowcat are at the mansion."

            "What? Why?"

            "Jean lost control of their mental blocks. They found out what she did to them."

            "What did she do to them? Wait, don't tell me. Ah already know."

            "They didn't tell me, but maybe you should be there too."

            "No."

            Rogue stood up and brushed the wet hair from her face. "Ah'm going back to the Brotherhood. Ah wanna have a talk with teach."

            "Whoa, easy Stripes!" Logan caught her arm as she tried to walk away. "Not a good idea. Mystique's tricky and if Jean's recovered, she could just alter your mind again."

            "Ah'm not letting them get away this!"

            "They won't. Trust me. But you're not thinking straight. Come back to the Institute, get dried off, we'll talk about it. You can't go back to the Brotherhood."

            "So you want me to go to the mansion, be an X-Man? Like that'd work."

            "It might. The way I see it, you ain't got a lot of options right now. And we're not the ones who lied to you. We've been tryin to earn your trust."

            Rogue looked out at the view of Bayville and sighed. "Ah guess ah could go back there and dry off, see Kitty and Lance. But ah ain't promising anything else."

            "OK."

            "And ah get to ride the motorbike."

            "Yeah. That'll happen."

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            _Bamf!_

            "Kurt!" yelled Scott as the younger boy teleported into his room. "I nearly had a heart attack!"

            "Sorry mein freunde," replied Kurt, not sounding sorry at all. "But you vill never believe who Logan just brought back to the mansion with him!"

            "Who?"

            "Ze Rogue!"

            "Rogue?" Scott frowned thoughtfully. "We know Jean messed with her mind and Kitty and Alvers – and now they're all here. Coincidence?"

            "Doubtful."

            "They must have found out what she did. Damn! I wish Professor X would hurry up and clue us in!"

            Downstairs, Logan and Rogue entered the mansion and encountered Lance and Kitty, who were being escorted to the door by Storm.

            "Rogue! You're alright!" Kitty surprised the other girl with a brief hug.

            "Where you going?" asked Rogue suspiciously. "Back to the Brotherhood?"

            "Hell no," said Lance. "We're getting out of Bayville for a while, away from the whole mutant thing."

            "Jean was messing with our heads before we even met her," added Kitty. "We just wanna like, work out what we want."  
            "Yeah, ah know what Jean did," said Rogue. "You wanna know if you should be together."

            "And we can't do it with all this shit going on," said Lance.

            "You wanna come with?" asked Kitty.

            After a few seconds, Rogue shook her head. "Nah. You two need to be alone."

            "In that case, we're outta here." Lance put his arm around Kitty's waist.

            "You take care of yourself." Kitty regarded Rogue worriedly. "Mystique is so not gonna like this."

            "Ah know. But if she tries to mess with me, the gloves are off!"

            "Don't forget what we said," said Storm. "If you two wish to return to Bayville, there's a place for you both here."

            Lance looked uncomfortable. "We'll see."

            "Come on kid," said Logan. "Let them get on their way and you go dry off."  
            "I'll find you some of my clothes to wear whilst yours are in the dryer," offered Storm.

            Rogue looked doubtfully at the woman's white blouse and flowery skirt. "Uh, thanks, but ah don't think…"

            "Oh, I'm sure I've got something left over from my youth," replied Storm as she led Lance and Kitty to the doors.

            "Bye Rogue!" said Kitty.

            "Yeah, see ya," added Lance.

            "Hope so," said Rogue under her breath as she watched them go. It occurred to her that the other Brotherhood members were the closest things to friends she had and now everything had changed.

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_Just how wild was Storms youth anyway?_

            Rogue checked her reflection in the bathroom mirror. Black leather jeans, tight black leather top, and her usual dog collar. She allowed a small smile as she imagined the Brotherhood boys' reaction when she went home in this outfit, then remembered that they wouldn't be seeing her. Logan had been right. She couldn't go back.

            _Am ah doing the right thing?_

She pulled on the opera-length gloves that didn't quite match the rest of the clothes but at least left her a little less exposed and wondered again about what Storm must have been like when she was younger. And she'd always seemed so calm…

            There was a knock on the door. Jeans powers had faded almost completely and Rogue had to open it to find out who was there. It was Storm. "Are you ready?"

            "Ah guess."

            "Good. Professor Xavier would like to speak with you."

            _Great_ thought Rogue as she trailed after the woman. She'd been expecting this, but it didn't mean she wasn't dreading it.

            "Clothes fit you all right?"

            "What? Oh yeah, fine. Just how did you come to own an outfit like this anyway?"

            Storm laughed. "Oh, I could tell you some tales – but they'll have to wait. Here we are."

            Rogue had only ever seen Xavier from a distance and was nervous as she went into the office, but the mans expression was benign.

            "Ah, Rogue." He motioned for her to sit down. "I understand you've had quite an upsetting experience. It may reassure you to know that Jean is no longer in Bayville."

            "Why not? Where is she?"  
            "I'm afraid I don't know. I was unable to locate her. But Mystique is still at the Brotherhood house. It would be safer for you remain here. Would you like to join our team?"

            "If ah say no, will ah get thrown out of the mansion?"

            "No. You may remain here as long as you need."

            Rogue considered her options. She couldn't go back to Irene in Mississippi now that she knew the woman had adopted her just because she would one day become a mutant. She didn't want to go back to the Brotherhood. The only thing she really wanted was to get her hands on Jean. And there was only one choice that would guarantee that…

            "Ah wanna join the X-Men."

            The Professor smiled. "Then we should tell the others of your decision. Follow me."

            Nervously, Rogue accompanied him into the kitchen where the other occupants of the mansion were sitting around the table, Logan and Storm having just told Scott, Kurt and Evan what was going on. They looked up expectantly as the two entered the room.

            "Rogue has decided to remain with us," the Professor told them, pointedly ignoring the major double takes at the girl's outfit.

            Logan gave her a satisfied smile. "Welcome to the X-Men."


	11. Sanctuary

Thanks to:

Steph14Wales – Thanks as always, and for the dedications!

Wingding9 – Yeah, evil Jean rules! There are hints of Scogue, but I've no plans for them to get a love thing on. But who knows…

DemonRogue13 – Kitty and Lance going was a numbers thing – but they will be back!

Risty – I was a bit worried that Lance would seem overbearing, so I'm glad he wasn't! I was actually debating some Rogan (too many music vids!), but it would mess up later events.

Zeroeye – There's more of Jeans evil to come! I'm also pro Lancitty and they will be back!

Rogue14 – I thought she'd join up if it'd give her another crack at killing Jean!

Crazyspaceystracey – Dunno about a series, but I'm thinking about a sequel. Thanks!

LadyEvils – Yeah, Rogues with the X-Men now and Lance and Kitty will be back soon!

Lyranfan – Newbies will be along soon! I thought Lance asking Xavier to read his mind was in character for his overprotective ways in this fic (and parts of the series). And I agree – Storms history could have provided some fun Evo moments.

Oceanbang – Magneto and Jean are in this chapter! And the new recruits will be along soon – I have evil plans for them, hahahaha!

XX-Goth-Gal – She did grow up as a pickpocket in Egypt, but in the comics she lost her powers for a while and did the whole black-leather-biker-chick thing. Rogue's gonna have an encounter with Jean in this very chapter…

Enfant-terrible – Thanks! This would have been up sooner if it wasn't so damn long!

UniversalAnimeGirl – I owe you a HUGE thank you for the link to the transcripts site! You've made my life so much easier (and there's actually a pic of Evil Jean on the site too!) The ah/I thing was a mistake (oops – hangs head in shame), but I'm gonna revise the chapter and sort it out. Lance and Kitty will be back and all questions concerning Asteroid M will be addressed in this chapter!

X00001 – Thanks! Rogue's here, and Kitty and Lance will be back.

Furygrrl – Magneto's gonna be an influence on Jean all right – and I'm beginning to think that the sequel is a certainty…

Disclaimer: Magneto ran interference on my computer and now the disclaimer has vanished in a rain of static. Yay Buckethead!

This chapter is really long. Better make yourself a coffee. And my apologies for butchering Kurt's accent!

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"Charles is hoping to allow Rogue back to school on Monday," Ororo told Logan as they walked down the corridor towards the Cerebro room. "He says that he's keeping her off to let her get over learning about Jean, but…"

            "You think it's in case she goes after Mystique?" Logan grinned. "I know what a kid's thinking when they've been wronged. She'll want to settle that score personally. I know I would."

            "Maybe she'll have calmed down after the weekend."

            "Doubt it 'Ro."

            "At least she's settling in alright. She seems to be getting on with the other students, particularly Scott. And it's nice not to be the only female in the mansion for a change."

            "She's doing well in training too. She's focused. Probably determined to be a good enough fighter to beat Mystique or Jean one-on-one."

            Arriving at the Cerebro room, Logan went inside and saw Charles already using the machine. "So, the new Cerebro's online,"

            The Professor didn't even turn around. "Yes. And it's pinpointed the emergence of a new mutant, only partially developed."

            "So what's the emergency?"  
            "His name is Alex Masters, once known as Alex Summers. Scott's brother."

            "Brother? I thought Scott was the only one who survived that plane crash."

            "Yes, so did I. And so does Scott. Have him meet us in the hangar. We're flying to Hawaii."

            Logan was leaving when the Professor added, "Oh, and Logan – let's be prepared for trouble. I doubt we're the only ones with an interest in this young man."

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The sound of the X-Jets engine brought Evan and Rogue to the hangar on the run. They arrived just in time to see the jet fly away.

            "Hey, what's the sitch?" yelled Evan. "I thought we were Hawaii-bound!"

            _Bamf!_

            "Here I am, ready to give my all to the cause. Hula hula!" Kurt did a little dance before noticing the hangar was suspiciously empty. "Oh man!"

            "We got totally ditched!"  Rogue pouted for a moment, then sighed. "Can't blame Scott. Ah mean, if ah was gonna meet a brother ah didn't know ah had, ah wouldn't want a crowd either. No way."

            Kurt looked thoughtful for a moment, then looked up at the other two. "Hey, I'm thinking. Hawaii. Not the only beaches in the vorld, right?"

            Evan and Rogue looked blank.

            "Hello! Road trip anyone?"

            "Al-_right!_"  Evan grinned. "We'll leave a note for Auntie O and just take off!"

            "Ja! Hey Rogue, vot do you – hey, where'd she go?"

            Kurt and Evan hurried out of the hangar and saw Rogue heading for her room.

            _Bamf!_

            "Kurt! Stop popping in front of people, it's annoying."

            "Don't you vant to go to ze beach?"  
            "Ah'll just get in the way. You guys go without me."

            Evan walked up behind her. "But we _want_ you to come."

            "Is this because you were with ze Brotherhood?"

            "Kinda." Rogue lowered her head slightly so her hair covered more of her face, a habit she'd developed to cover her nervousness. "Ah mean, this time last week, we were fighting against each other. A coupla training sessions together doesn't change that."

            "But you're a part of ze family now!"

            "Yeah girl," added Evan. "And while the Professor's away – "

            "Ze kids can play!"

            Rogue allowed herself a smile. "Ah guess it might be fun…"

            "So let's meet in the garage in fifteen," said Evan. "I'll leave Auntie O a note. Time to party!"

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            "Change of plans. They're on the move."

            "Not for long."

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            "Oh man, feel that ocean breeze." Rogue stretched out in the backseat of the car. "Ah've been going into meltdown all covered up like this. Ah hate it!"

            "Yeah?" Kurt kept one hand on the wheel while he turned off his image inducer. "You should try being all blue and furry. It's murder!"

            In the passenger seat, Evans eyes widened. "_Kurt! The road!_"

            The winding road they were travelling down had cliffs above them, a sandy beach below. A rock from above was bouncing down the cliff, directly into their path. Kurt yanked the wheel hard to the right and the car left the road, slid down the fortunately slight slope and came to a shuddering halt on the sand. The boulder crashed onto the road where their car had been moments previously. As they looked towards it, they saw a figure leap from the spot from which the boulder had fallen and smacked heavily into the sand in front of them.

            Blob.

            "Come here often?"

            On the road, Principal Darkholmes car pulled up – they hadn't even noticed it following them – and Quicksilver and Toad got out.

            "Ah'm not going back to the Brotherhood!" Rogue got out of the car and glared at the boys.

            "Who said this was about you?" asked Blob. "Traitor!"

            "Time to prove yourself _Evan_." Pietro ran at super speed around Spyke, who barely had time to react before he was buried up to his neck in sand. Quicksilver stood at the top of the mound, laughing at Spykes attempts to free himself. "I got you beat and you know it _Evan_. I always speed to the top!"

            "You're staying behind!" Blob ran at Nightcrawler with a roar. Kurt teleported away before he could be squashed. Unfortunately, he arrived behind a pile of rocks that Blob promptly crashed into, burying the elf beneath them.

            Rogue leapt away from Toads slime attack, dodging and weaving until her back was to Darkholmes car. Believing he had her trapped, Toad shot his tongue out to grab her wrist, realising too late that he's missed and his tongue was now in the car. She slammed the door on it and he crashed into the side of the vehicle.

            "Can't say ah much want your slimy thoughts in mah head Toad, but ah'm taking you out!"

            "Relax Rogue." Pietro put a restraining hand on her shoulder. "It's over."

            "Yeah and here comes your reward," said Blob, looking upwards at the three metal spheres heading their way.

            Quicksilver smirked. "Looks like you're gonna be on our team after all."

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High above the earth, the mutant known as Magneto was showing his one-time friend and long-time adversary Charles Xavier around the structure he had called 'Asteroid M'. Charles was starting to be very concerned. The grand scale of the project had obviously taken years to prepare. Magneto had been working on his sanctuary all that time and Xavier had never even guessed.

            "The gathering is complete. Just Wolverine and Sabretooth to go." Magneto went back into the main area of the asteroid, using his magnetic powers to pull Xavier's wheelchair behind him. "A storm is coming for mutantkind and our resolve must be iron-clad. Side with me, not against me!"

            The Professor frowned. "Your invitation begs the question; what happens to those who won't come willingly?"

            "If necessary, sometimes salvation must be force-fed."

            Magneto indicated to the tubes against one wall of the room. Within the confines of two of them were Storm and Rogue. Xavier wheeled himself over, put his hand on the tube that held Storm and lowered his head. When he spoke, his voice was filled with barely suppressed anger.

            "Magnus, you haven't saved them. You've abducted them!"

            Quicksilver sped into the room, followed by Blob. They stood behind Magneto, smirking at the Professors outrage. Charles was stunned when he saw Jean Grey enter the room behind them. His first thought was that she looked _terrible_. Her skin was greyish, her eyes dull, her hair lank. Her whole posture as she joined the Brotherhood was one of exhaustion and defeat. She only managed a small tired smile when she saw Rogue unconscious within a tube.

            "A certain amount of persuasion may still be needed, I'll admit," said Magneto. "But for every unbeliever, there is a new recruit."

            A door slid open and two boys walked into the room. The first Charles recognised only from the picture on Cerebro had shown him – but his attention was taken up by the second boy, the first student of the Xavier Institute.

            _Scott. No._

            "Scott, I – I don't understand…"

            "Professor, wait." Scott walked over to the Professor. "We're just here to listen, that's all."

            "What about them?" Xavier gestured to the two captive X-Men in the tubes. "Are _they_ here to listen as well?"

            Scott gasped as he noticed Storm and Rogues unconscious forms and turned angrily to Magneto. "Hey, what is this?"

            "Simply a precaution Scott," replied Magneto calmly. "Not everyone has the maturity to accept the need for change as you do. Not yet."

            "Let them out! Now!"

            Scott put his hand to his shades, ready to release an optic blast. Blob placed himself in front of Magneto, ready to attack if Scott made a move.

            Magneto brushed Fred aside. "I will. We just need to proceed cautiously. Trust me. They are perfectly safe."

            _{ARE they safe Scott? Are any of us safe? I know this man well. His motives cannot be trusted. He's bitter.}_

            Seeing Scott looking at Xavier, Magneto realised what was happening. With a thought, he pushed the Professors wheelchair backwards into an unoccupied tube. He had time for one barely coherent telepathic message –

            _{Logan! Lose the battle. Magneto is -}_

- Before the tube closed around him and he slipped into unconsciousness.

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            "Auntie O! Auntie O, where are you!" Evan looked around the ruined mansion, wondering what had caused the destruction and hoping Storm was unhurt.

            There was a blur of blue and white as Mystique leapt into the midst of the group. "She's out. Can I take a message?"

            Kurt and Evan stared at her in shock, but Toad, who they had brought back with them, began to snigger. "Hey, if you're still here, that mean's you're a loser too!"

            Mystique grabbed the boy by the front of his uniform and lifted him off his feet. "Don't EVER call me that!"

            "Then vot _are_ you here for?" asked Kurt.

            Dropping Toad, she turned to face the elf with an expression he couldn't quite fathom. "Simple truth – nobody discards me, especially not Magneto, after all I've done for him…all I've lost…" She trailed off for a moment then pulled herself together, never taking her gaze off Kurt. "So I'm paying him a visit. We can go together, or I can go alone."

            "Oh, you won't be alone."

            The group turned to see Wolverine enter the mansion, his clothes torn and bloody. He glared at them, daring them to comment. "If Magneto's got our friends, then _we're _going after him."

            Mystique nodded. "Good. But I know the man, so I'm calling the shots."

            "Humph." Logan got into her face, which would have been more intimidating had she not been a good half a foot taller than him. "Then get your own ride. X-Men, let's go."

            He stalked out of the room, followed by Kurt and Evan. Mystique stared after them for a moment, Toad crouched beside her, until she reached a decision.

            "Oh all right, fine. But I expect to be consulted."

            Logan gave no indication that he'd even heard her, but Kurt glanced over his shoulder at the woman, troubled. He couldn't get the expression on her face when she'd looked at him out of his mind.

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Scott glared at the huge machine Magneto was showing them. A genetic enhancer? A device that would allow him to stop wearing the visor, the symbol of his uncontrollable mutation?

            He couldn't take it all in.

            "I want them released." He indicated to his three imprisoned teammates.

            "They will be," replied Magneto. "But only after you've gone through the transformation. I want them to see what I'm offering. And it is an offer Scott. I won't force you to go through it."

            "And we're just supposed to trust this thing works? You go through it then!"

            "I already have. I'm fully advanced. But why don't I provide you with a real, first-hand demonstration."

            Magneto turned to face the Brotherhood.

            "Jean?"

            Scott had noticed Jean was on the asteroid, but he'd been too distracted to dwell on the fact. Now, for the first time, he realised how ill she looked. She was conscious and walking, but it was obvious that she was using every last ounce of her energy to keep her powers under control – and she was almost out of strength.

            Slowly, she walked into the enhancer and Magneto used his powers to close the door. The machine emitted a high-pitched whine and the assembled mutants gasped as a red glow was seen around the door.

            Magneto addressed them all. "In a few moments she will emerge – reborn."

            To Scott, it took an age for the machine to finish what it was doing. He may not like Jean, but nor did he want to see her hurt by that thing.

            When the door opened and the girl stepped out, Scott was stunned by the transformation. Gone was the unhealthy pallor and the tired posture. She floated, hair floating around her face, eyes aglow, a disbelieving look on her face.

            "The voices. They're gone!" She grinned at Magneto in sheer delight. "_I'm_ in control!"

            Magneto turned his attention to the brothers. "Boys, it's time to reach _your_ full potential."

            "What do you think Scott?" Alex rubbed his knuckles and Scott knew that his brother was once more suffering the ache that had plagued his joints for months. "I want to, but not without you."

            Scott thought about it for a moment. The visor enabled him to see, controlled his powers…       

            _But they leech the colour from the world; mean I can never see without them, I'm a danger to everyone around me without them…_

            He nodded at Alex and the two boys stepped into the enhancer.

            "And now for an appreciative audience." Using his powers, Magneto activated some of the controls of the tubes, allowing the X-Men to regain consciousness but leaving them imprisoned.

            Rogue was the first to take stock of the situation and began hammering her fists against the glass. "Scott! No, don't!"

            Professor X sent the boy an urgent telepathic message. _{Scott, I know what Magneto is doing. That thing will alter your mind; get out of there please!}_

            For a second Scott hesitated, then turned. Magneto closed the door before the boy had taken two steps towards the exit.

            "Too late Charles. He's _mine_ now."

            Jean grinned as she noticed the shocked looks on the X-Men's faces. She saw Rogue in one of the tubes – it figured that the Goth would join them after learning of the truth. Still, it was an easy fix. Jeans mind had never felt so clear, free of all doubts of the morality of her actions. And her powers had never been so strong…

            She walked in front of the tubes, relishing the way Rogues eyes narrowed in hatred. "Hi darling. Miss me?"

            "Ah'm gonna get you for what you did to me, you bitch."

            "Tough talk for a girl in a tube."

            The exchange was broken off by the sound of the enhancer opening. Everyone looked toward the two figures emerging – Scott and Alex, transformed.

            "Come," Magneto said to them. "The world awaits you."

            Alex flexed his hands, a look of happy incredulity on his face. "Pain's gone!"

            Magneto rested a hand on his shoulder. "And you shall be called Havok." He turned his attention to Cyclops. "Go on Scott, show us the colour of your eyes."  
            Cyclops removed his eyes and blinked tentatively, unable to believe his eyes were uncovered, he could see, yet there was no path of destruction.

            "Another benefit of your enhancements," said Magneto. "Your minds. They're purged of useless emotion. You should have a clearer perspective of our roles on Earth…"

            His speech was interrupted by and alarm going off, accompanied by flashing warning lights. Jean narrowed her eyes as she telepathically scanned the area around the asteroid. "Aircraft."

            "Really. Let's see who it is."

            Magneto released a wave of magnetic energy into the atmosphere surrounding Asteroid M. Nothing. He frowned and tried again. And again. Finally he realised.

            "No metal!"

            He glared at Charles, who shrugged modestly, with the slightest suggestion of a smile. Furious, he turned to Scott and Alex.

            "Boys, defend us!"

            In the Velocity, Wolverine stared at the visual he got on the figures emerging from the asteroid. "Scott?"

            He couldn't quite believe it when Cyclops and the boy beside him – his brother, had to be – used their powers to blast the aircraft. The damage was instant and so massive that Logan could barely wrestle the craft towards the asteroids landing strip. Realising what was going to happen, Scott and Alex ran back into Asteroid M, to no avail. The Velocity smashed through the entrance and slid to a halt against the wall, the resulting tremor loosening the structure and burying the brothers under a pile of rubble.

            The hatch opened and Mystique poked her head out. "Knock knock."

            "Mystique!" Magnetos eyes were wide with disbelief and anger. "You never could take 'no' for an answer!"

            With a cry of rage, Mystique leapt at him.

            Wolverine noted the situation and jumped on top of the tubes holding the three X-Men captive. He used his claws to sever the wires connected to the tubes and they opened, freeing the trio.

            "Where's the X-Jet?" Logan yelled at Xavier.

            "Observation deck. That way."

            "Gather there – "

            Logan's words were cut short as Sabretooth slammed into him, knocking him to the floor.

            Professor Xavier looked at the others. "Storm, prepare the X-Jet. Rogue, go help the others. I'll try to contact Scott and Alex."

            Nightcrawler experienced a moment of déjà vu as an enraged Blob lumbered towards him. Kurt held his position as long as he dared. "A body in motion –"

            _Bamf!_

            " – Stays in motion!" Kurt watched as the other boy crashed into a wall, causing more masonry to fall.

            Magneto used his powers to throw all the metal knocked loose in the various skirmishes at Mystique. She was able to dodge most of them and just as it looked like she would be struck, Toad caught the object with his tongue. He threw it at Sabretooth but missed, instead hitting an electrical box and creating a large explosion, which further rocked the asteroid.

            No one noticed Jean approaching Mystique.

            "Come back for more, eh _Evan_?" Quicksilver ran in circles around Spyke, grinning at his adversary.

            "Hey, been here, done this. New game!" Evan threw down a wall of spikes, causing Pietro to put on the brakes.

            "Whoa, tyre hazard!"

            The two boys glared at each other for a few seconds, then Evan smirked. Pietro turned too late as Rogue put an ungloved hand on his face and knocked him out. She looked around and noticed Jean Grey watching Magneto and Mystique do battle. This was too good an opportunity to pass up…

            Magneto had run out of things to hurl at Mystique and was about to tear more directly out of the walls when the woman stopped advancing, a dazed expression on her face. Magneto could see Jean behind the shapeshifter, her hands to her temples, her eyes wide.

            The telepath tore into the other woman's mind. Previously Mystique had been one of the few people who's thoughts she was unable to read, but with her enhancements it was a simple task. She could scarcely believe what she found in the metamorphs memories.

            {_A house in Caldicott County, Mississippi. A room with photographs of Rogue adorning the walls, not that they were of much use to the woman living there, who had the dark glasses and the white cane that denoted blindness._

_            "What is this vision of yours Destiny?"_

_            Through Mystiques eyes, Jean saw Irene fiddle with her cane. "I foresee two different paths the future may take. It centres on a girl, Jean Grey. In one future, she joins Xavier's group, becomes a valuable addition to their side, aids in their defeat of your team time and time again."_

_            "And the other possibility?"_

_            "We get to her first. Tomorrow, she will tell her parents of her abilities. Their initial reaction will make her feel misunderstood and she will run away from home. Her bus doesn't come and she returns to find her parents frantic about her absence. Xavier visits her the following morning."_

_            "Unless I approach her as she awaits her bus."_

_            "Exactly. She will aid our cause, but this future is shadowed, in doubt. She will be an asset to us in many ways, but she may also create problems. I can't be sure."_

            "It's nothing I can't handle Irene. Where is it that I'll find this Jean Grey?"} 

            Jeans thoughts raced with the implications. Never had she considered that Mystique might have manipulated her as easily as she had the others, might have deceived her about her future  - but her life was supposed to have been different.

            _And my parents would have taken me back, maybe they weren't…_

            Her train of thought was abruptly cut off. Rogue had crept behind Jean and put a hand on her face. In spite of the enhancements, just a brief touch knocked her out.

            Mystiques eyes refocused. Jean had held her mind for just a few seconds, but it had been all the time Magneto needed to hurl a large chunk of metal at the woman. It hit Mystique and knocked her backwards, straight into the enhancer.

            Magnetos expression was a combination of fury and panic. "No! My enhancer!" He flew into the machine after her; just scant seconds before the door closed on them both.

            Another explosion shook the asteroid. Rogue stumbled for a moment, then used Quicksilver's powers to speed over to where the Professor was trying to contact Scott, he and his brother still buried.

            _{Scott, are you alright?}_

            Rogue used Jeans telekinesis to lift rubble off the heap covering the boys. She wasn't sure enough of the vague telepathic powers she had taken to sense Scott or Alex's thoughts, but it looked as if Xavier was getting no response. She concentrated on the task at hand, trying to quell the fear growing inside her. Since Jean had lost her control over the minds of the Brotherhood members, Rogue could remember all the times that Scott had reached out to her, tried to gain her trust and friendship. All the feelings that Jean had tried to suppress were slowly returning.

            There was another explosion as sparks from smaller blasts reached the control panel for the containment tubes. Blob, recovered from his headlong crash into the wall, almost lost his footing as the ground shook. "Hey, this rock's cracking up!"

            Todd hopped past him. "Now let's make like a toad and hop to it!"

            "Toad?" Blob hadn't noticed his teammate arrive in the Velocity. "Hey, whose side are you on?"

            "The side that lives. C'mon!"

            Storm was using her powers to try to force he way through the rubble blocking the path to the observation deck and the X-Jet. Hearing a yell behind her, she moved aside just in time. Blob ran at the blockage, clearing it instantly. He and Toad headed for the jet, not looking back. Evan raced after them, an unconscious Pietro slung over his shoulder. Kurt paused in front of Storm.

            "Scott and his brother are still buried and Wolverine's got his hands full."  
            "Go!" Storm watched Kurt run after the others before creating a whirlwind and going back for those left behind.  Seeing Logan cornered, she caught Sabretooth in the tornado and swept him through a wall.

            Feeling Jeans powers beginning to desert her, Rogue desperately struggled to move more of the pile burying Scott and Alex. To her relief, there was a burst of energy from beneath the rubble, scattering it. The brothers stood up and glanced around the ruins of Asteroid M.

            Scott turned to the Professor, red eyes glowing. "You and the others, you're ruining everything. This was our chance to unite!"

            "Unite?" Rogue could barely believe the change in the uptight but good-hearted team leader. "You can't be serious. Look what Magneto did to you!"

            "He's helped me. I'm evolved. No more training, no more hurdles – my powers are at _my_ mercy!"

            "Yeah, and you used that control to blast your friends. How united is that?" Rogue looked straight into Scott's eyes, reflecting on how strange it was to see him without his shades or visor. "When ah first got to Bayville, you reached out to me. Ah was lonely and confused and scared, but you got me to trust you. You really believed there might be a way for humans and mutants to live together. The Scott Summers ah know would never try to hurt anyone, let alone his friends. That's not united!"

            "You don't understand," snarled Alex. "We _are_ the future!"

            Rogue never took her eyes from Scott's. "Is that right Scott? Ah mean, are you the future? The Scott ah knew had a dream about the future. But you? If you're the future, ah don't want any part of it." She turned her back on the pair and left, the effect spoiled somewhat when she misjudged how much of Quicksilver's power she still had and sped away.

            Professor Xavier frowned at the brothers. "You're right, mutants shouldn't be divided. But we didn't draw the line. Magneto did. And it's still there – _you_ just crossed over it."

            As the Professor left, Scott sighed and hung his head. "Oh man. What was I _thinking_?"

            The Professor was the last person to the X-Jet. Rogue listened to him and Logan talking about the brothers, looking despondently across the asteroid. She was the first to see the two figures running to the craft. "It's them!"

            A shudder ran through the asteroid and the already weakened landing strip crumbled. Logan had to take off and Rogue was forced to cling to the side of the entrance to stay on board. She saw the ground beneath Scott and Alex tilt, the pair slid down the asphalt and then they were airborne, plummeting toward the icy asteroid below.

            The brothers linked hands and unleashed their powers on their landing spot, slowing their fall and melting the ice so that they landed in a pool of water, shaken but unhurt. The X-Jet landed near them, ready for them to board.

            Above them, Asteroid M went ominously quiet. Two metal spheres shot out of the structure. A moment later, the entire asteroid was engulfed in flames. There was a final, massive explosion and suddenly the asteroid was falling toward the group of mutants.

            Scott and Alex focused their powers on the flaming structure. For a moment, it seemed that they would fail – then the asteroid broke up, the chunks of rock missing them, not large enough to do major damage to the jet or the ice asteroid. The destruction of the enhancer released a wave of the same energy that had evolved the brothers. Caught in its wake, Scott and Alex fell to their knees, their enhancements negated. Scott closed his eyes and covered them hurriedly before he could hurt anyone.

            "Scott?"

            "Rogue? Is everyone OK?"

            "See for yourself."

            The rest of the X-Men climbed out of the jet and gathered around Scott, Alex and Rogue. Fred and Todd got out after them but didn't join the group, instead resting against a block of ice near the jet.

            "So what's gonna happen to us?" asked Todd.

            Fred shrugged. "Dunno. Everyone's left the Brotherhood. Just you, me and Pietro, I guess."

            "Some one say my name?" Pietro climbed out of the craft. "Did we win?"

            Blob snorted. "Do we ever?"

            "Oh." Pietro glared over at the X-Men. Anything get out before the place blew? A metal sphere?"

            Toad shot Pietro a suspicious look. "Yeah, two of them."

            "Then Magneto's still out there. And so is Mystique."

            "Uh, Pietro," said Fred hesitantly. "What about Jean?"

            "Hey, Magneto wouldn't enhance her powers then leave her there." Quicksilver looked uncharacteristically serious. "Jean's gonna be back too. Believe it."


	12. It's oh so quiet

Thanks to:

Steph14Wales – something bad is gonna happen when Jean comes back. Believe it!

Oceanbang – I was trying to think of a way for Jean could control her powers without Xavier's help and if the enhancer affected her emotions too, nothing stands in Evil Jeans way! New recruits will be up in a couple of chapters!

DemonRogue13 – it was probably a squash in Magnetos orb and I bet he didn't like it one bit!

Zeroeye – check out this chapter for Lancitty goodness and plenty more to come!

Furygrrl – Jean's not gonna be using those powers for good, that's for sure!

Rogue14 – Jean ain't happy with Mystique and sparks are gonna fly…

X00001 – you'll find out what happened to Jean…next chapter. Wow, I'm getting as evil as she is!

LadyEvils – I'm not really setting it up as a Scott/Rogue fic, but I thought it fit with her regaining her crush on him and I needed some one to talk him out of being a bad guy!

Carol J – always glad to get your reviews and glad you enjoyed the last few chapters!

Enfant-terrible – thanks for the review!

UniversalAnimeGirl – yeah, Jean's still advanced and she'll be showing off her improved powers soon! Lance and Kitty are back in this chapter and Pyro just might transfer his love of fire…Kurt and Rogue will discover the truth later on in the fic, but not in any way seen on the show – mysterious eh?

XX-Goth-Gal – Jean's not a happy bunny – but I'm afraid you'll have to wait to find out what she does!

Wen1 – thanks for reading although it's not your usual thing!

Lyranfan – I was a bit worried about the Advanced Scott/Rogue dialogue and I'm glad to know it worked.

King-Cold – Jean will be back next chapter and causing havoc (not Alex!) to all the Evo teams!

**A/N **- This is a short chapter, especially in comparison to the last one. I didn't want to completely rehash all the episodes unless they were necessary to the plot – that's not interesting for anyone – so I've essentially squished all the in-between bits into this chapter. Like? Hate? Let me know. I can always revise it. And I'll be updating again in the next couple of days to apologise for the briefness of this chapter.

Disclaimer: I don't own X-Men: Evolution or any of the characters contained herein. I mourn this fact on a daily basis.

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Life in Bayville was quiet. For a while.

            Without leadership, the Brotherhood drifted. Pietro put himself in charge of the group, but in reality there was nothing much for them to do except annoy the X-Men as often as possible. For all their talk of grand schemes, they did little to upset the balance of things. They kept their heads down and missed a lot of school.

            A horde of new recruits joined the Xavier Institute shortly after the Asteroid M debacle and one of them, Tabitha Smith, decided to live with the Brotherhood after some awkward scenes with her criminal father. The boys had been on shaky financial ground before her arrival, but soon afterwards their water was turned back on and they seemed to have enough for the necessities once again. Because Tabby had no grudge against the X-Men, there was no reinstatement of the hostilities between the teams. The boys would never have admitted it, but she made their lives less boring.

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In a cheap motel some 300 miles from Bayville, Lance and Kitty counted their money and realised they were going to have to make some decisions about their future or start sleeping in the jeep.

            "I'm tired of running away anyway," Kitty told Lance as she lay on her stomach on the sagging bed. "We're gonna be mutants no matter where we go. In Bayville at least there are other people who know about us."

            "And when they know about us, they try to manipulate us into being on one team or another," Lance pointed out. "I'm sick of being used."

            "But we can't keep staying in motels or the jeep. And I want to go back to school. Just because we're mutants, doesn't mean we don't have to think about the future."

            "I dunno Kitty. I'm having enough trouble dealing with the present."

            "And dealing with your powers."

            "One little earthquake!"

            "Lance, we can't go on like this. Look, we've got enough cash to get back to Bayville. I think we should go back, now that we know our own minds again."

            "We do _now_. What's to stop Jean from just getting into our heads again?"

            Kitty bit her lip. "Remember how much she used to bitch about Xavier's mental blocks on the X-Men?"

            "_X-Men_? You want us to join the _X-Men_? Are you outta your mind?"

            "We need to go somewhere! And there's no way we can go back to the Brotherhood, not when we know what they did to us! And how do you know the others didn't leave too? Rogue left already."

            "I don't know why we need anyone."

            "Because we need to eat and a place to sleep. And they can help us Lance. I trust them."

            Lance glared at the floor, but didn't contradict her.

            "We can learn to use our powers to like, help people instead of doing the whole mutant domination thing."

            Silence.

            "We can make Jean Grey really suffer."

            They got back to Bayville the following day.

            Kitty settled into life at the Institute immediately, making friends with the other X-Men and beginning a tentative correspondence with her parents, mostly via E-mail. She and Kurt rapidly became close friends, a fact that irked her boyfriend greatly.

            For a long time, Lance felt as though he didn't fit in with the other X-Men. He hated abiding by Xavier's rules about curfews, schoolwork and sleeping alone. He was continually butting heads with Scott, getting lectures off Logan and giving threatening looks to Kurt whenever the elf spoke to Kitty. Several times he was tempted to give up and return to the Brotherhood, especially when he learned that both Mystique and Jean were absent, whereabouts unknown. Thinking about Kitty always stopped him. Away from Bayville, he had been forced to confront his feelings about her and had vowed that no one was going to make him doubt that he loved her again, not Jean, not anybody. They'd promised to stick together. If he went back to the Brotherhood, Kitty would go with him, but she was so happy at the Institute. Going back would be selfish. He'd just have to stay at the mansion, for her if not for himself.

            At Christmas, Kitty went back to her parents' house for a few days. The reunion went well. Neither knowing nor caring where his parents were, Lance remained at the Institute. He went with Scott and Rogue to New York in search of a new mutant, where they discovered that Magneto was indeed alive and well. The chance to work as a team allowed him and Scott to work through some of their mutual animosity and whilst they would never be close friends, they at least called a truce. The holiday was the longest time that Lance and Kitty had been apart since the day they met and both were overjoyed to be back together again, leading more than one X-Man who witnessed their reunion to suggest they get a room.

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The X-Men got a new tutor shortly before Christmas, Henry McCoy, AKA The Beast. The younger students in particular grew fond of him. His training sessions were less gruelling than Logan's and more fun than Storm's. Used to Kurt, none of them were concerned that he was covered in blue fur and had a habit of sneaking up on them outside by swinging through the trees.

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The disappearance of Principle Darkholme threw the school administration into a panic. Fortunately, they were able to find a replacement relatively quickly. At Principal Kelly's inaugural assembly, a new student, an English girl named Risty Wilde, approached Rogue. The pair became close friends. It pained Rogue that she was never able to share the truth of her 'skin condition' with her friend, but being around Risty made her forget that she was a mutant, different. It even made her forget about Jean and all her plans for revenge, for a while at least. Risty was an extrovert, fun-loving and happy and she was the one person who could bring Rogue out of her shell and always put a smile in the face of the sullen Goth. When the other students managed to get Scott stranded at Lookout Point, thinking he was meeting Taryn, the only person that Rogue invited to the party they threw in his absence was Risty.

            Walking to the local coffee shop after school one day, Rogue waved to a familiar looking boy across the road. Risty grabbed her arm, staring curiously at him. "Whoa girl, who's that guy?"

            "Oh, that's Forge. He's some kinda super-genius."

            "He's fit! Come on Rogue, introduce me! Please?"

            Rolling her eyes, Rogue went over and introduced the pair. Risty flirted madly with the boy and Forge was clearly interested in her too. Before long, the two were an item, although Risty went out of her way to make sure she still had time for Rogue.

Forge abandoned his invention to extend Kurt's teleportation range in favour of spending more time with his girlfriend. Trapped in Middleverse for over twenty years often made him feel like a middle-aged man trapped in a teens body, but Risty could be surprisingly mature for a teenage girl. She invited him to the school dance, they went on dates and he found himself more involved in the world than when he had first escaped Middleverse, when he had never seen all the things that the X-Men seemed to take for granted, like mobile phones or the Internet. Risty seemed to find his ignorance of such things amusing, particularly when coupled with his inherent ability for inventing. In a matter of a few short weeks, he was completely smitten.

 He never really noticed the way she undermined the X-Men when Rogue wasn't around, but gradually his feelings about them changed from respect and gratitude to irritation at their high-and-mighty attitudes. He was also getting tired of his parents, who seemed to forget that according to his birth certificate he was too old to be ordered what time to be in and where he could go, no matter what he looked like. They were terrified of him leaving the house in case he disappeared for another twenty-odd years. Had he been still caught up in his inventions instead of his girlfriend, he might never have noticed – but the only person who seemed to understand how he felt was Risty.

One evening as the couple sat in the park, Forge decided it was time he was honest with his girlfriend. "Uh, Risty, I've got something to tell you."

"What?"

"This is gonna sound crazy, but…I'm a lot older than I look. You know the inventions I work on? One of them trapped me in a pocket dimension back in '78. I was stuck there 'til a few months ago and I didn't age while I was there. So I'm, y'know, a lot older than you. And I'm a mutant too. I have special powers – I can turn my arm into different tools and that's how I can invent all the weird stuff I do."

_Could that have sounded any worse?_ he thought miserably. At best she'd think he was trying a really bad practical joke. At worst, she'd think he was a total freak and dump him on the spot.

He waited for her to laugh in his face, but her expression was serious although her eyes glinted – yellow?

"I've got something to tell you too…"

And life in Bayville was quiet.

For a while.


	13. Like A Hex Machine!

Thanks to:

Steph14Wales – I was a bit worried about the twist, nice to know it worked!

Charmed1s – I hurried! Fastest update ever!

X00001 – loadsa Forge goodness in this chap!

DemonRogue13 – thanks! I'm not planning on a Scott/Rogue thing, but I do have something in mind for One-Eye…

Zeroeye – yeah, I'm a bad girl! I didn't see Lance going back to the Brotherhood after what happened, but never say never.

Rogue14 – thanks! This soon enough?

King-Cold – I don't need an excuse to turn into a slop, lol! It would be totally awkward for Forge and I think the Evo writers missed an excellent chance to introduce Graydon and give Rogue and Kurt an evil big bro.

Wen1 – Agatha up in this chapter!

LadyEvils – Mystiques plans for Forge are revealed in this chapter…

Risty – I love Forge too, he's cool - but no one's as cool as Mystique! Glad the summing-up worked.

XX-Goth-Gal – I'm assuming that her hair's still red. Hope so anyway! White-haired Jean is too weird. And Mystique and Sabretooth didn't go grey (laughs hysterically at the image)! Answers to the Tabby question are in this chapter!

Furygrrl – I thought they were a great comic book couple in spite of (or maybe because of) their lack of trust in each other. I agree with UniversalAnimeGirl too and I'm gonna have a lot of fun with THAT little development!

Disclaimer: GOAL! GOAL!! What? Oh yeah, I don't own blah blah blah. . .ROONEY! ROONEY! Two one, twooo one! OK, promise never to update during the footie again.

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"Guess who's back."

Blob choked on his sandwich as he looked up to see Mystique at the front door. Pietro squeaked. Toad jumped down from his perch on the back of the settee and hopped in front of her.

"Hey, i-i-is it really you?"

In response, Mystique picked him up and threw him into a wall. He landed in a heap and groaned. "Yeah, it's you."

Mystique glared at Pietro and Fred as they hurried into the hall. "You pathetic lazy clods have destroyed my house!"

Fred rubbed the back of his neck nervously. "Uh, we've been kinda thinking about cleanin up."

"Do that. And while you're at it, _grow some backbone!_ What happened to the team of tough mutants I assembled?"

"What are you talking about?" protested Pietro. "We're as tough as ever!"

"Are you? When was the last time you beat the X-Men? Oh, I know – _never!_ They've outshined you at every level…"

"Let me guess. You must be Mystic."

The three boys cringed as they saw Tabitha walking down the stairs, pausing at the halfway point. Crossing the boss was never a good idea.

"Try _Mystique_. And this is _my_ home and _my_ rules. Rule number one – move _out_ of my room. You can have Rogues old room."

"Yeah?" Tabby created a largish bomb in her hands. "What makes you think I'd want to stay at Moron Manor with you running the show again?"

Before Tabby could act, Pietro sped up the stairs and grabbed the bomb out of her hands. "Not a good idea, Boom-Boom." He tossed the explosive to Fred, who looked around frantically for somewhere to dispose of it, before handing it to Todd, picking him up and throwing him into the other room. Pietro raced back down the stairs and stood beside Fred again, the two boys giving innocent smiles and pretending they couldn't hear the blast or the scream.

Mystique ignored the whole scene, not taking her eyes from the girl. "You'll stay. I know the recent spate of drained video games and payphones in Bayville are down to you and with your record, this time you'll be going to Juvenile Hall. It'd be a shame if some one were to hand over the evidence."

Tabby glared at her. "You're lying."

"I'm not. It's easy for a security guard or police officer to obtain certain videotapes. And you're too reckless to take precautions to hide your identity. Get the picture, _Bam-Bam_?"

"Fine. Whatever." Tabitha slowly descended the rest of the stairs and stood with Pietro and Fred, a sullen look on her face.

"She learns fast, unlike the rest of you." Mystique smirked at the girl.

Pietro shrugged. "Yeah, well, just where've you been all this time?"  
"All you need to know is that I'm back. And those arrogant little X-Men are going to get knocked down a peg."

Todd rejoined the group, his hair sticking straight up, as Mystique stood aside to allow another person to enter the house. "Meet your new secret weapons."

The first person to walk through the door was Forge, who stopped beside Mystique and grinned at the Brotherhood. None of them recognised him. The second person was more familiar – to one of them at least.

"_Wanda?"_

_ "PIETRO!"_

Mystique smirked as the Brotherhood house descended into chaos. Forge watched the scene nervously. "Shouldn't we stop her?"

"We should…but let's just wait a minute."

Allowing herself a few more moments to enjoy the panic, Mystique eventually motioned to their third newcomer to enter. The elderly woman walked over the threshold, used her mind to pull Wanda backwards and calmed her by chanting in a language that none of the others in the house could fathom.

As Wanda was led away by Agatha, Pietro jumped out from his hiding place behind the couch. "Are you outta your _mind_ bringing Wanda here? Can't you see how _dangerous_ she is? She's like a witch with those powers!"

"And that's precisely what makes her so valuable to our little cause. Anyway, you needn't worry. As you can see I've brought an old friend, Agatha Harkness, to teach her to focus her anger into unbeatable power! And this is Forge. He's able to create devices that can do practically anything."

Obligingly, Forge demonstrated to the Brotherhood how he could transform his arm into various tools. Most of them seemed impressed, but Pietro was too frantic to pay any attention to the other boy.

"Just what makes you think she's gonna _co-operate_ with us? You might have noticed, I'm not one of her favourite people."

"She'll co-operate." Mystique smiled. "When I downloaded Xavier's files from Cerebro, I found a complete psychological profile from his sessions with Wanda. She'll do what's needed because I can give her the one thing she wants most – _revenge_."

_That explains why she's here,_ thought Tabby, taking a glance over at Forge, who was gazing at Mystique. _And I can see why he's staying. But me – I'm trapped. I have no choice._

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Cyclops surveyed the darkened mall. "Alright, let's split up. Spyke and I will take the first floor. The rest of you, check out the balconies."

Kitty and Lance headed up the stairs, keeping an eye out for the Brotherhood. The couple had barely spoken to their former teammates since arriving back in Bayville, all their attempts to be friendly usually being returned by insults. It was Kitty who first noticed the shadowy figure in the dress shop. She silently phased through the wall and tackled the person, phasing them both through the window. Only then did she notice that she was fighting a mannequin.

"It's not your colour anyway," said Lance with a grin.

"Fun-_eee_." Kitty stood up and glared at him. "I don't see – "

Suddenly, Lance was engulfed by a blue light and a second later, he vanished. Kitty stared at the spot where he had been standing and then ran over and waved her hand around to prove that he had really gone.

"LANCE!"

She turned around and became intangible just in time. A beam of blue energy passed harmlessly through her and she saw the shooter step out of the shadows, weapon in hand. She could hardly believe who it was.

"_Forge?_ What are you doing here? What did you do to Lance?"

"He's fine." Forge raised the device slightly. "It's just a teleporter. He's… somewhere."

Another beam passed above Kitty's head as she phased through the floor, re-emerging in front of Forge and passing a hand through the teleporter. It emitted a shower of sparks and a puff of smoke. As Forge gaped at his ruined invention, Kitty knocked him into a wall with a solid kick to the head. Without bothering to check on him, she ran off through the mall looking for Lance.

Lance found himself transported without warning into a light fitting shop. He sank to his knees, nauseous and completely disoriented.

_Man, how does Kurt do this all the time? I'd go nuts!_

When the bomb landed in front of him, he threw himself backwards just in time. The explosion scorched the floor and illuminated the room, revealing Tabitha in a corner.

"Hi handsome."

"Boom-Boom?"

She threw a bunch of bombs, forcing him to dodge them. Several hit lamps and decorative shades, throwing coloured glass across the room. Tabitha whooped and produced another handful. Quickly, Lance started an earth tremor beneath her feet, causing her to stumble and throw the bombs in the air, most of them hitting a crystal chandelier. The explosion severed the chandelier from the ceiling and it fell, hitting Tabby in the shoulder, knocking her over and pinning her to the ground.

Letting himself out of the door, Lance heard Kitty frantically calling his name. "I'm over here."

Kitty raced into view and threw herself into his arms. "I thought you were like, trapped in Middleverse or something! Forge joined the Brotherhood!"

"Yeah, and I just had to take care of Tabitha. Something weird's going on."

"We'd better go tell the others."

They found Scott and Rogue in the main part of the mall, having just taken care of Toad. Kurt bamfed over to them and Evan rushed out of the exploding electronics shop. They listened to Lance and Kitty's revelations with growing incredulity.

"Forge joined the Brotherhood?" Rogue looked pissed. "What is _with_ him?"

"And I don't zink Tabitha vould really vant to fight us," added Kurt.

Behind them, the escalator burst into life. As they turned to see what was going on, a figure stepped on to it and rode down.

"Uh-oh," murmured Evan. "Bad vibes."

Upon seeing the X-Men, Wanda held out her hands – and lights all over the mall began exploding and a piano crashed through the window of the music shop and flew towards them. Scott fired at it, but to his amazement the beam _curved_ and knocked out a window. The X-Men dived out of the way of the piano, but Scott's optic blast continued to fire, cutting through the floor and knocking Evan backwards into a sporting goods shop.

"Knock it off Cyclops!" yelled Lance in alarm.

"I can't!" Scott tried in vain to turn off his visor. "I can't control it – _I can't close my eyes!"_

Lance sent an earth tremor at Wanda. She stumbled for a moment, then waved her hand in his direction, causing the quake to turn back, first knocking Rogue into a wall, then loosing the wall beside which Lance was stood. Lance was forced to dive out of the way, being pelted by falling mortar but avoiding being buried.

Evan skateboarded out of the sporting goods shop and hurled a bunch of spikes at Wanda. Before they could touch her they curved back towards Evan, forcing him to abandon the board and run for cover. Kitty tried to sneak up behind the girl by phasing up through the floor, but to her horror she got stuck halfway.

"_Help! I can't move!"_

"Don't vorry, I've got you." Kurt grabbed Kitty's arm and teleported, intending to reappear beside the other X-Men. Instead the pair materialised outside in mid-air, falling into a tree. Kurt looked around in confusion. "How'd ve get out here?"

Inside, Lance picked himself up just in time to see Scott's optic blast cut through the support beam of the stairway above him. Too far away to push the boy out of the way, Lance caused an earth tremor that threw Scott away from the falling concrete. Finally, Cyclops managed to close his eyes.

Lance glanced around at the destruction of the mall. "Come on, let's get outta here!"

"NO!" yelled Scott. "It's not over!"

"Yes it is," replied Rogue as she helped him to his feet. "Let's go."

The X-men fled the scene, utterly defeated, their last view before they left being the other Brotherhood members gathering around Wanda. They smirked at the retreating teens and Tabitha blew them a kiss as they ran away, the grin on her face disguising the pain in her eyes.


	14. Day of Reckoning

Thanks to:

Steph14Wales – As always, thanks! Glad you enjoyed it!

Oceanbang – I always thought the Brotherhood shouldn't have been outnumbered all the time, so it's cool to be able to turn the tables a little.

UniversalAnimeGirl – I've no plans at the moment to introduce Graydon, although it would be pretty funny! I skipped 'Shadowdance' mainly because Amanda wouldn't have seen him blue (coz I skipped 'Shadowed Past') and I wasn't sure what to do there. I'm saving the Sirens for the sequel, but they will show up – with a line-up change …According to 'Ultimate X-Men', Mystique was around in the 1930's and has a daughter called Gloria as well as the ones I knew about!

Furygrrl – I always thought it was daft of Mystique to throw Tabby out instead of recruiting her. More Acolytes in this chapter and a ton in the next!

DemonRogue13 – I feel sorry for Tabby too and there's more of her and Forge with the Brotherhood in the next couple of chapters!

Zeroeye – Lance has a pretty big role in the rest of the fic and my apologies for this chapter taking me a while.

LadyEvils – Jean and the Acolytes appearing in this chapter! And you're right, guest-starring a big metal guy in this chapter…

Wen1 – I liked the Tabby/Mystique exchange too and tried to keep it pretty much the same.

Richard-Raven-Croft – Super Jean back in this chapter!

Lyranfan – yeah, Forge has it bad for Mystique! I liked Brotherhood Tabby, I think she should have stayed there.

XX-Goth-Gal – Jean's back! And thanks for the compliments! I have considered a career in writing, although all I seem to be writing a moment is X-Men…hint hint if you're reading, Stan Lee!

Risty – Evil Forge can do so much more with his inventions than good Forge and I'm having lots of fun thinking up cool inventions for him! Good Lance has tons of potential too, he wasn't really bad in the series either so it's not too hard to imagine.

Rogue14 – Jean didn't do very much to stop Wanda anyway, so I figured she'd still kick their asses. Apologies for the lateness of this update!

Enfant-terrible – Thanks! And Jean's back in this chapter!

Carol J – hope you enjoyed your holiday! And Evil Forge is so much more interesting than Good Forge. Where was he during 'Ascension' anyway?

Disclaimer: A big damn Sentinel ripped the roof of the house and blasted the disclaimer into oblivion.

Author note – I'm sorry it took me so long to update, I'm having kind of a shitty week. This chapter's fairly short, but the next one is much longer and will be up quicker, I promise!

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            "Rogue! There you are!"

            "Oh, hi Risty." Rogue took the seat opposite her friend and put her lunch tray on the table, thankful that Forge didn't go to school with them. "What's going on?"

            "You won't believe this, Forge had a huge row with his parents and he's moved into the Brotherhood Boarding House! Y'know, I bet it's nice for him to have that kind of freedom, his parents were well overprotective."

            "Yeah." Rogue speared some pasta with her fork and stared at it moodily.

            "Look Rogue, I know the others at the Institute don't like he kids at the Brotherhood – I don't know why, they seem alright to me – but that doesn't have to change things between us, does it?"

            "No! Course not. But ah'd rather not hang around when you're with Forge, OK?"

            "Just because he's lives at the Brotherhood house?"

            Rogue shook her head. "It's complicated. Hey, can we talk about something else?"

            "Sure, if you don't wanna talk about it." Risty looked hurt and Rogue felt guilty. If she could just tell Risty about her powers then she wouldn't have to keep avoiding certain issues and lying about what she did in the evenings, and maybe she could warn her friend exactly what Forge was getting into.

            At a table nearby Scott sat with Kitty and Lance, scowling at his burger as if it was responsible for all his troubles. "Doesn't it bother you two that Forge and Tabitha were fighting against us the other night? Something's not right."

            "Yeah," said Kitty. "Amara tried saying hello to Tabitha this morning and got totally ignored. What's _with_ her?"

            "Don't you think we should be more worried about Wanda?" Lance asked, opening his can of Nectarine Smash. "She can turn our powers against us! How do you beat some one like that?"

            "I've never got stuck when I phased before and it scared me," admitted Kitty. "If me or Kurt could sneak up on her, we might be able to get Rogue close enough to drain her powers, but at the mall we couldn't get near her."

            "Maybe the Professor can think of something," said Scott, pushing his plate aside, burger untouched. "Did you two think he was acting strange this morning?"

            "He was a bit quiet, but he's probably just worried about Mr Logan not being back yet." Kitty frowned. "Do you think he's in trouble?"

            Lance snorted. "Logan? No way! If there's one guy who can take care of himself, it's Logan. He's probably back at the mansion right now, thinking up some new and painful training sessions…"

            "Hi Paul," said Kitty loudly, kicking her boyfriend on the ankle. Lance took the hint and shut up as the other boy joined them and asked Scott about their history homework, blissfully unaware of his companions' uneasy moods.

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            The cat padded up the alley, which was shrouded in shadows even in the daytime, making its way toward the figure stood next to the open manhole. The gloom did little to disguise the mans grotesquely deformed features and skin so pale it might never have seen sunlight. If he was surprised when the cat morphed into a blue-skinned woman, he didn't show it.

            "Caliban?"

            "Word isss you wanted to sssee me."

            "I hear you can find other mutants using only your mind."

            "Who isss it that you are sssearching for?"

            "Wolverine."

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            The five metal spheres travelled soundlessly through the air, coming to rest at Pier 58, situated in the industrial area of Bayville. An onlooker would have been struck by the sheer impossibility of the flight, no apparent means for them to remain airborne, the eerie silence in which they moved – but there were no onlookers; Pier 58 was deserted. On the surface at least.

            All of the X-men would have recognised the person emerging from the first orb. Sabretooth grinned, showing his unnaturally sharp teeth before growling in anticipation.

            Beside him, the occupant of the second orb casually shuffled a stack of cards in one hand. He plucked the eight of diamonds from the deck, regarding it briefly with his strange red-on-black eyes as it began to glow with kinetic energy.

            Fire shot out of from the next sphere, shifting in the sky to form a demonic face. The third man watched the display happily before shutting off the flamethrower on his back.

            The fourth sphere opened and a girl stepped out of it, long red hair floating around her face as she levitated two feet into the air, a smile playing on her lips.

            Magneto emerged from the final sphere, his face shadowy behind the helmet he wore, and walked past his Acolytes. There was much to be done and they didn't have a great deal of time.

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            "Team two, you'll find some familiar-looking orbs near the loading dock. Stay alert, Magneto brought friends."

            Kurt heard Storm through his radio. "Understood."

            "Team three, what's your status?"

            "We're proceeding into the next sector," replied Beast, glancing at the rest of the group warily. Kitty looked wary, Toad was catching flies with his tongue and Forge was unreadable as ever. He'd told the Professor how unhappy he was about the presence of the Brotherhood, but Charles had insisted. Still, it could have been worse. He could have been Lance.     

_I don't believe this. It's too weird._

            Lance walked out of the building he'd been checking, eying his team warily. Pietro was leaning against the wall and Blob stood off to one side. It was strange to be working with them again, but it wasn't the ordeal he had expected it to be. The person he'd been most worried about was Wanda and she'd barely spoken a word, intent on the task at hand.

            "Empty," he said to the two boys. "Man, I'm getting creeped out here. Where _are_ they?"

            He missed the smirk on Quicksilver's face.

            Nightcrawler teleported rapidly onto each sphere, checking inside in case the Acolytes were still within. He stopped on the last one to speak into his headset. "Confirmed – ze orbs are empty."

            He teleported over to Rogue, Tabby and Evan, who had finished their search of the area. Rogue frowned and put her hands on her hips. "Y'know, ah don't get this."

            "Yeah," added Evan. "They've gotta know we're here."

            "Now vot? No sign of zem…" Kurt trailed off as a flaming Ace of Spades floated lazily into their midst.

            Tabitha was the first one to realise what was about to happen. _"RUN!"_

The group scattered as the card hit the ground and exploded. The blast caught the attention of the other teams, who immediately began running towards the disturbance.

            "Finally, some action!" Lance took off toward the flames.

            "You have no idea." Pietro turned and sped off in the other direction. Wanda stared after him in disbelief as she realised what her brother was doing.

            _"It's a trap!"_

            There was no time to curse their naivety. Every metal item in the area began to fly around and the four acolytes finally appeared, gathering on a stack of crates. Gambit flicked charged cards at the other mutants, forcing them to flee.

            The fight was on.

            "Was that _Jean_?" asked Lance as he and Kitty dodged flaming playing cards.

            "Yeah," replied Kitty as it began to rain. She turned to see Storm hit Pyro with a lightning bolt. "And she's _ours_."

            Telekinetically lifting a huge metal beam, Jean flung the object at Toad, who leapt on top of it and ran along its length.

            "Hit the Toad and win a prize. Miss and you're body slammed!" Todd leapt at Jean, only to stop dead in midair and fly backwards with a wail. But Jean didn't seem to have realised that Blob was behind her and the boy slammed her into a wall, leaving her in a dazed heap on the floor.

Kitty phased through the wall, grabbed a handful of red hair and pulled Jean backwards into the building. She ran out of the door and shouted over to Lance. "Let 'er rip!"

Avalanche stamped his foot and a huge earth tremor reduced the house to rubble. They could see the hastily formed telekinetic bubble surrounding the girl, protecting her from the falling debris, but before they could take any further action, they were stopped by another tremor, one that had nothing to do with Lance. The ground split open and both the X-Men and the Brotherhood plummeted into the fissure.

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            "They've released the Sentinel."

            "As I knew they would."

            With a gesture, Magneto closed the four orbs around the Acolytes and sent them away. Their first test had gone well. They had been ordered merely to distract the other mutants while their leader carried out part one of his plan and they had certainly done that, despite being heavily outnumbered. It was good to know he had chosen his team well.

            Magneto focused his attention on raising the platform on which the group of mutants faced the Sentinel. Time enough to reflect on the Acolytes later. Right now, he had other matters to deal with.


	15. The Stuff Of Supervillains

Thanks to:

Steph14Wales – Well, you know how I felt about Evo Colossus!

Oceanbang – Uh…Amara managed to dodge the lasers without Tabby's help, found Scott and saved the others! Didn't really think that through, did I? I'm not sure where Colossus will show up. Thanks!

Carol J – More fights to come! That happened to me once in a youth hostel in Ireland…

Lyranfan – Yeah, real life sucks! Glad you liked the chap and the disclaimer – I was watching X-Men animated series at the time.

DemonRogue13 – Jean's not gonna let that happen again…

Rogue14 – More Jean/Acolyte-ness (is that even a word? My spell check says it is!) in this chapter.

Wen1 – Last chapter was just practice for Jean – hahahaha!

Lance (Evils) – I don't know if Colossus will show up yet, coz I wasn't fond of him in Evo. I do like Caliban though!

Enfant-terrible – Getting close to the end of this fic now (sob), but I am plotting a sequel…

Furygrrl – I dumped Piotr mainly because I had to lose one of them and when I wrote this chap I hadn't seen series 4 (they only showed it about 3 weeks ago, I was going _crazy_ waiting!). He only had a couple of lines in series 3, so he got the chop. Now I've seen series 4 I might bring him in at some point. Here's an Acolyte-heavy chapter for ya! And thanks, this week's been much better.

XX-Goth-Gal – Hey, I can never be complimented enough! (Grins) Jeans gonna be using her powers a lot in the next couple of chaps…

Disclaimer: I used the disclaimer to beat a referee to death. I have anger management issues. Also a court case on Monday.

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"My fellow Americans – _all_ my fellow Americans, human and mutant…"

Pietro glanced nervously at his father, who had been watching the news footage relating to the exposure of mutants obsessively since they had returned to the base at Mount Ararose. He didn't know exactly what Magneto had hoped for, but a message of tolerance did not seem to be a part of the plan.

Deciding he'd had enough of the speech – he could recite the damn thing word for word – Pietro sped away, finding Pyro sitting cross-legged on a box, chewing the end of a biro and frowning at a notepad.

"Hey Pietro, fancy helping out your mate?"

Although he would hardly consider St John a 'mate', Pietro had nothing better to do. "What do you want?"

"Can't think of a line that rhymes with 'Your hair is like a dancing flame'. Any ideas?"

"How about 'Writing poetry is totally lame'," sneered Pietro. "Don't tell me, it's for _Jeeeeeeean_."

"You've no romance in your soul. And Jean _likes_ my poems!"

"Yeah, you keep telling yourself that."

Gambit wandered over to the pair. "Know what you should do? De _femmes_ love being serenaded."

"Y'think?" Pyro looked hopeful. "I do a mean version of 'Fire Woman'!"

Pietro scowled. "You're worse than Lance and his damn rock puns!"

"No one could ever be worse than Lance." Jean had approached them unnoticed. "And St John, sing one note and you'll regret it."

"I'm bored," complained Pietro.

"So go back to the Brotherhood," replied Jean with a smirk, sitting on the box beside Pyro, much to his delight. "Bet they'll be pleased to see you."

"Are you _crazy_? Wanda'd kill me!"

"And we wouldn't have to listen to you whine anymore."

Irritated, Pietro zipped back to the control room, where Magneto was still studying news footage, the picture having changed to the X-Men and the Brotherhood fighting the Sentinel.

"What _is_ it Pietro?" asked Magneto wearily, not turning from the screen.

"I'm getting rigor mortis sitting around here. When we gonna see some action?"

Wanda's face filled the screen, the camera catching her as she hexed her father and stole his powers, her face angry and hateful. Magneto frowned thoughtfully. With his enhancements, there was no way for her to trace him to Mount Ararose…

_But she doesn't have to trace YOU, not when she knows who's with you…_

"Maybe you should spend some time away from the Acolytes."

Pietro was startled. "Are you serious?"

"I am not ready to initiate my plans. Your presence is not currently required here. But do _not_ return to Bayville and do _not _attract attention to yourself."

"Uh…thanks." Pietro sped off to change into his street clothes, then prepared to leave the base. Before he could go, Jean, Pyro and Gambit stopped him.

"Where you going mate?" asked Pyro.

"Well deserved vacation."

"Well deserved. Right." Jean rolled her eyes. "Magneto probably just wants to get you out of the way."

"Whatever." Pietro shot the redhead an evil look and raced out of the mansion.

Gambit smirked. "How long before he gets into trouble?"

Jean grinned at him, causing Pyro to bristle with jealousy. "If I know Pietro, it won't be very long at all."

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"Jean." Magneto approached the girl as she levitated some boxes into a stack against the wall. "I must speak with you immediately."

"What's wrong?"

"Pietro has run into some…problems."

_Big surprise._ "You want me to help him out?"

"Not quite. Wanda has managed to orchestrate Pietro's arrest in the hope of drawing me out. I want you to recruit the Brotherhood to free him."

"Mystique's gonna love that."

"She is no longer a problem. I believe it was Cyclops who caused her to be left behind when the X-Men and the Brotherhood rescued their captive team-mates."

"Summers?" Jean was surprised. "I didn't think he had it in him."

"Go today," ordered Magneto. "You will find the Brotherhood at home, with the exception of Wanda. They were recently expelled for using their powers publicly."

_He's certainly been keeping an eye on things in Bayville. _"I'm on my way."

"Keep an eye on the Brotherhood, ensure Pietro's safety and return to Ararose immediately."

_Return immediately…_

"I will." Jean hurried out of the base, the beginnings of an idea in her mind.

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"Oh _shit_!"

Forge glared at his latest invention, a gun with a modified neural inhibitor function. In theory it made the victim highly susceptible to any suggestion made in the few seconds after its use with the effects lasting a couple of hours – he intended to use the weapon to 'persuade' the Soldier in Area 51 to help him free Mystique. In practice, every time he tried it on Toad the younger boy believed every woman in the vicinity was Wanda. Tabby was threatening to blow up both of them the next time she was referred to as a 'crimson cutie'.

_I'll never be able to help her escape at this rate,_ thought Forge gloomily, looking over to where Fred was happily munching on a sandwich. _And these guys don't even care._

The house was a mess, he reflected. Pizza boxes and empty glasses littered the living room and the window was broken. The last time Wanda returned to the house, she had called them all a bunch of pigs and Tabby had told her to lighten up. The near-fight that followed had only been averted by Toads yell of delight as he realised the object of his affections had returned and the hex that Wanda had planned for Tabby ended up blasting Toad through the glass.

The sight of something moving outside the window broke Forge from his reverie. His eyes widened. It couldn't be…

Jean Grey flew in through the broken window. "Hi there. Miss me?"

For a few seconds, the Brotherhood could only stare at their former teammate in shock. Then Toad leapt over to her. "Sweetums! You came back to me!"

Jean grimaced as she read the boys mind and discovered he thought she was the Scarlet Witch, using her telekinesis to slam him into a wall. Fred ran at her with a roar, but she merely flew over his head and he tripped over the sofa. Instinctively Forge fired his new weapon at her, only for the beam to bounce harmlessly off her telekinetic shield and a second later he too was thrown against a wall. Tabby created a handful of bombs and threw them at the invader but they were deflected back at her, landing at her feet. Unable to avoid the ensuing explosion, she was flung across the room and landed dazed and slightly scorched in a corner.

Surveying the scene with a grin, Jean landed in the centre of the room. "Ready to listen to me now?"

Groaning, Forge sat up and rubbed the back of his head. "OK, it's your show."

"No. It's Magneto's show."

00000000000000000000000000000000

Lance and Kitty walked down the street on their way back to school after eating lunch off campus. The constant comments and jibes the X-Men had endured since their exposure as mutants upset Kitty more than she liked to admit and she was worried that Lance might lose his temper with some one and get himself expelled. Principal Kelly was looking for an excuse and any would do.

"Check it out." Lance pointed to a shiny new SUV stood at a red light. "Isn't that Tabitha driving?"

"Yeah, and the rest of the Brotherhood! Like, where did they get a ride like that?"

"Hey, you know what a klepto Boom-Boom is." Lance glared at the SUV through narrowed eyes. "They're up to something. Damn, I wish we hadn't left the jeep at school!"

"Should we go tell Scott?"

"No time," said Lance, glancing around at the traffic as the lights changed and the Brotherhood began driving away. "Start phasing."

"What? Lance!"

Lance pulled Kitty toward a truck following the SUV and the pair leapt through the side. They managed to track the Brotherhood a long way by phasing unseen into different vehicles when the SUV changed lanes. Kitty made a few token protests about sixth period, but in truth she wasn't too concerned about the missed lesson. The Brotherhood had been their friends, under different circumstances the couple might still be a part of the team and neither of them wanted to see the group get into any trouble.

When the Brotherhood drove up a winding mountain road, Lance and Kitty were forced to abandon their lift and follow them on foot. Night had fallen and the temperature had dropped at least ten degrees. Kitty shivered, glad of Lances body heat as he drew her closer.

"So, what part of your plan is _this_?"

"The part where it all comes together." Lance pointed to the SUV, abandoned near a pile of rocks. In the distance they could hear the sound of a number of engines heading their way and realising the Brotherhood were up to no good, ducked behind the car.

As the first Army truck rounded the corner, a flurry of bombs bounced in front of it and exploded, shredding the tyres and forcing the truck into a skid. The driver managed to stop the vehicle inches away from the steep drop, the following convoy obliged to hit the brakes. As soldiers jumped out of the trucks, hands on their weapons, several were hit by a red beam that rendered them unconscious.

Blob leapt from a ledge of rock from above the convoy, his landing causing tarmac to crumble and the ground to shake. He grabbed the handle of the rear door of the truck as Pietro looked out of the windows.

"Hey Blob, you actually got off the couch to come rescue me?"

"Yeah – and then we're gonna _squash_ you!"

As three soldiers ran over to try to stop Fred, Tabby threw more bombs at them. They dived out of the way, the explosion causing a rockslide that threatened to bury one of them. Lance broke cover and sprinted over to him, knocking the man out of harms way. The soldier looked at Lance in surprise.

"Aren't you with _them_?"

"No, I'm not. Not anymore."

Noticing Toad grab a phone from another soldier attempting to call for help, Lance sent an earth tremor toward him, throwing the boy over the edge of the mountain. Toad managed to grab the bumper of a truck with his tongue, saving him from falling.

Kitty phased through the mountain, emerging unnoticed behind Forge and Tabitha as they sat on a ledge five feet or so above the convoy. A swift kick knocked Forge off the ledge, his gun falling from his hands and smashing on the road below. Startled, Tabby threw a handful of bombs at Kitty, which passed through her intangible form and blasted loose the rock behind her. Kitty grabbed Tabby's arm, enabling them both to phase through the falling debris. Tightening her grip painfully, Kitty leant closer to Tabitha. "Backed the wrong team, huh Boom-Boom?"

"Spare me the lecture, _Shadowcat_. Some of us didn't have a choice. And now it's too late."

Kitty hesitated for a second, wanted to say or do something to help the girl – but she was distracted by a terrified yell from below.

_"BLOB!"_

The truck that Pietro was locked in had begun to roll toward the edge of the precipice. The boy hammered vainly at the locked doors as Blob stared stupidly at the handle that had come off in his fist. Kitty dived off the ledge and through the side of the truck as it fell off the cliff, grabbed the frightened Quicksilver and phased them both out of the vehicle. The pair managed to grab hold of an overhanging rock as the truck plummeted down, rolling twice when it hit the bottom before exploding into a fiery inferno.

Recovering quickly from his fright, Pietro smirked at his unlikely captor. "Thanks, but you just about muffed that – slowpoke!" He climbed swiftly back onto the road and sped off into the night.

Lance knelt down by the roadside, grabbed Kitty's wrists and pulled her to safety. She wrapped her arms around him, still shaken. Their embrace was interrupted by the sound of an engine roaring into life and they looked up to see the SUV accelerating away, the Brotherhood making good their escape. Lance jumped to his feet and sent an earth tremor after the vehicle, but was stopped by Kitty resting a hand on his arm.

"Forget it, they're gone. And so is Pietro that jerk. I'll 'slowpoke' him!"

The dirty joke Lance was about to make died on his lips as behind them a voice shouted, "Hands in the air!" The couple turned slowly to see the group of soldiers with guns pointed directly at them.

Lance clenched his fists. "I'm gonna rock this place…"

"No, wait." Kitty spotted the soldier whose life Lance had saved walk up behind the other soldiers.

"Stand down men."

Kitty gave a sigh of relief as the guns were lowered, although she kept her hands up. The man walked over to them. "I saw what happened back there."

"And?" Lance's voice was sarcastic.

"Thank you."

Kitty lowered her hands. "Uh, y-you're welcome."

"If you know what we are, then why are you letting us go?"

"_Lance!_"

The soldier shrugged. "Not everyone hates mutants son. We're just peacekeepers, like you. I'd offer you a lift home but uh, well, we're kinda stranded 'til another unit arrives."

"Oh, that's OK." Lance put an arm around Kitty's shoulders and led her away. "We'll catch a lift, _right_?"

_"Wrong._ We're finding a phone and we're calling Scott."

00000000000000000000000000000000

Jean strolled through the open door of the Brotherhood house and regarded the group, hands on her hips. "Why are you such a bunch of losers?"

"'Cause the X-Men are winners," replied Todd sulkily, using his toes to doodle 'TT 4 WM' on the notepad in front of him. "It all balances out."

Fred looked at Jean hopefully. "So, do we still get to join Magneto's new team?"

Jean laughed. "Are you serious? After that disaster? As if!" She smirked as she saw their glares. "Oh, you'll get other chances, but you need a leader."

"Let me guess," sneered Tabby. "You?"

"No. Him."

Pietro walked into the house and Jean watched in amusement as the Brotherhood all tried to attack him. Quicksilver dashed out of the way and began issuing threats of a father-based nature. Jean stayed long enough to make sure that the bosses son would come to no physical harm – for now at least – she slipped out of the house unnoticed.

_Back in Bayville_ she thought as she walked the familiar streets. It felt as though she'd been away for years rather than months. She'd enjoyed her time there, being the most popular girl in school, top of all her classes, captain of the soccer team – but that was all in the past now.

It was time to think about the future.

Magneto's orders had been clear – establish Pietro as the new leader of the Brotherhood and return to Ararose. And Pyro had suggested they watch a film together that evening. As romantic as 'The Towering Inferno' sounded and as much as she secretly feared the self-proclaimed Master of Magnetism, she had some business to take care of that might delay her return to the base. Couldn't be helped. This was something she _had_ to do.

Revising the details of her plot one final time, Jean headed for the Xavier Institute.


	16. Jeans Destiny

Thanks to:

Steph14Wales – Jean's got a reason to go to the Institute…revealed in this chapter!

Oceanbang – I was gonna go up to 'Blind Alley', but then I noticed a huge gaping plot hole if I did (not so much notice as saw 'Dark Horizons 2' and realise I had a problem), so just up to 'Stuff of Villains'. It's not really about Scott…

DemonRogue13 – Pyro is cute! Thought his love of fire might translate to Jean for obvious reasons.

Lyranfan – Magneto always was ruthless with Pietro and Wanda. Jean would make a cool Acolyte – and what can I say? I am twisted! J

Risty – I had my reasons for replacing Gambit with Jean, glad you liked the change!

Furygrrl – I really wanted to write stuff for Pyro, I never seem to get the chance! And Jean is up to no good, as usual…

Rogue14 – Double J, I like it!

LadyEvils – Figured you had to be Lance! I thought Lance worked better in the chapter than Rogue would have and he would be more likely to be with Kitty at that point than Rogue would have.

Wen1 – I love that line too, I just had to keep in some version of it!

XX-Goth-Gal – Thanks! Find out Jeans plot in this chapter…

Carol J – Glad you liked it!

StArRy – Thanks for reviewing, glad you liked the intro!

Author note: This is the penultimate chapter – one more to go. Don't hurt me! I'm planning a sequel and I hope you'll look out for it. BTW, kudos to everyone who made Pyro puns (you know who you are!).

Disclaimer: I don't own X-Men: Evolution. Unless Marvel want to give me a nice pressie…

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_Some security system_ thought Jean scornfully as she flew over the grounds of the Xavier Institute, too high for the cameras to detect her movement. Below her she could see Beast training the New Recruits on the grounds, the kids running laughing through the trees. Outside the garage, Logan was fine-tuning the engine on his motorcycle. She could sense Xavier's presence inside the building – he was in bed with a virus and thanks to her enhancements, he wouldn't be able to detect her. A mental scan of the building told her that Scott was in his room, talking to his brother on a web-cam. Rogue was listening to music in the room that she and Kitty shared. Kurt was searching the fridge for a snack. That left four people she couldn't locate – Storm, Spyke, Avalanche and Shadowcat.

Returning her attention to the New Recruits, Jean quickly searched Jamie's mind. Ororo and Evan were in New York visiting their family. Lance and Kitty were in detention for ditching school to chase the Brotherhood. They were due to return soon, but Jean hoped to be gone by then.

Learning the layout of the mansion before withdrawing from Jamie's mind, she landed on Kurt's balcony and entered the mansion. Making sure she kept track of everyone in the Institute, she hurried through the deserted hallways and down flights of stairs, making no attempt to hide from the cameras – there was no one watching them and by the time they went back over the tapes it would be too late to stop her. It wasn't long before she arrived outside the Cerebro room. The complicated security system caused her a problem for a few minutes as it was wired to an alarm, until she reached into Kurt's mind. He teleported to her side, registered his thumbprint on the pad beside the door and bamfed back into the kitchen as the Cerebro room opened, immediately forgetting where he'd just been.

_So this is the famous mutant detector._

Jean was impressed. Before her was a huge spherical room, the computer at its centre at the end of a long catwalk of metal leading from the door. She approached the unit quickly and put on the headset. Magneto was hastily constructing a Cerebro unit of his own now that he had a pet telepath to operate it, but he would expect her to use it for _his _benefit. That wasn't the problem – she wanted Magneto's vision of a world of mutant superiority as much as he did – but there was something she needed to do for herself first.

The Cerebro unit was relatively easy for a telepath with her powers to figure out. She concentrated her search on a small town in Mississippi.

00000000000000000000000000000000000

_Bamf!_

"Kurt!"

"Sorry Rogue."

"Stop popping up in front of people. It's annoying."

"I know, I know. So, vot are you doing?"

"Nothin. Why, you bored?"

"Nein, but I heard Lances jeep pull up a minute ago and I thought ve could all go see a movie if Scott's finished talking to his brother."

"Sure, if there's something good on. Let's go get Scott and meet the others downstairs."

Kurt teleported them to Scott's room. The leader had already finished talking to Alex and the trio went downstairs to find Lance and Kitty in the rec room. Going to the movies was just about the only thing they _could_ all agree on.

"The review said it's the best romantic comedy of the year!"

"No way. Ah think we should see the new Tim Burton film."

"No, the Tarantino!"

"We're not all old enough Alvers. And before you ask Kurt, I'm not sitting through two hours of subtitles."

Kitty turned away from the others, pouting about her suggestion being shot down and noticed the TV flickering. "Hey guys, look at that."

Rogue frowned as the picture grew dark, then brightened again. "Power surge, or…?"

"Cerebro at full power," finished Kurt.

"Can't be," said Lance. "I thought the Professor was still too sick to get out of bed."

"He is." Scott stood up and made for the door. "X-Men, let's go. I think we've got a big problem."

The group got to the Cerebro room moments later, Kitty phasing Lance and Rogue through the floor and Kurt 'porting himself and Scott directly outside the doors. The thick electronic doors stood wide open, but the room was empty.

"Must have just gone," said Scott, rushing towards the computer and accessing security footage. "Kurt, go get Logan."

"He's gone," said Lance before Kurt could leave. "He rode outta here as we were coming back. And McCoy's in the woods on a training session with the New Recruits."

"Ah don't believe it," said Rogue furiously as she looked over Scott's shoulder and saw Jean Grey on the tape. "How'd she get in here?"

"And where is she now?" Scott punched up a view of all the security cameras. "She's not on any of them! She can't have…"

"_Look!_" Kurt pointed at the picture of the hangar. To their disbelief, the X-Jets engines had started and the craft sped down the runway.

"We're too late!" cried Kitty.

"Can ve find out vhere she's going?" asked Kurt.

Scott magnified the footage of Jean using Cerebro, focusing on the file Jean was looking at. "I can't see the location, but there's a picture. If I can –"

"Vait," said Kurt. "I know zat woman…"

"Irene Adler." Rogues voice was shaking. "She's the woman who raised me. Mystique called her Destiny because she could see the future…_that bitch is going after my mom!"_

"Everyone to the Velocity," ordered Scott. "We're going after her."

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Jean walked up to the house and used her powers to unlock the door. It opened silently and she stepped inside, the first thing she saw being a silver framed photo of Rogue and an aging woman in dark glasses. Jeans eyes narrowed. That had to be –

"Hello Jean."

The blind woman was sat on an armchair in the corner of the room, the white cane propped up against the table beside her. Jean walked further into the room, using her telekinesis to shut and lock the door behind her. "_Destiny._"

"I've been expecting you."

"Of course you have. You can see the future, right?"

"I see pathways, probabilities. The future is not set in stone. Probability is not certainty and new paths may be chosen."

"The way you and Mystique chose mine?"

"Yes. I knew the best time – the only time – to approach you about joining us. I could see the path you would take without our intervention and how it would affect all our lives."

"Why are you telling me this?"

"You're a telepath. If I lied, you'd know. And if I'd left, you'd find me."

"Why did you care if I joined your team anyway?"

"I saw the pathway of your life should you join us. Visions about you ceased abruptly, the day you lost control of your powers to be exact, although I knew that you did not die. I've had only one vision regarding you following that day, which I had only hours ago. Had you not come to us, your destiny would not see you aid us and Rogue would have been lost to us. I did not know she would be lost to us anyway, and you were our only hope to make her stay."

"_Rogue?_ You only wanted me around to keep _Rogue? WHY IS EVERYTHING ALWAYS ABOUT ROGUE!?"_

Jean levitated into the air, her green eyes blazing with anger. Photographs and ornaments began flying through the air, whirling around the room. The sight may have been lost on Irene, but she could hear glass breaking, feel the atmosphere grow heavy with psychic energy.

At that moment, the front door was blown off its hinges by a red beam and the five X-Men ran into the room. Scott saw Jean and immediately shot an optic blast at her. She created a telekinetic shield to defend herself, then used her powers to lift him up and hurl him backwards through the large bay window. Before he even hit the ground, Jean reversed the path of the breaking glass so that the lethal shards flew back into the room. A wickedly long splinter pierced Lances abdomen and he fell to his knees, blood soaking his uniform.

"_LANCE!"_

Kitty knelt beside her boyfriend, her terror increasing as he put a hand to the wound and blood poured through his fingers.

"I'll…I'll be alright," he whispered. "You go…" He closed his eyes and grimaced in pain.

Afraid to remove the glass from the wound, knowing it would only cause Lance to lose more blood. Kitty stood up intending to phase right through the telekinetic shield and punch the bitch right in the face – but before she could even turn, a heavy vase smacked her in the back of the head, knocking her to the floor in a dazed heap.

Sensing Rogues approach and knowing she had removed her gloves, Jean lifted the girl off her feet and slammed her into the wall behind Irene, pinning her there. As Kurt teleported to his teammates aid, a solid wooden dresser flew towards Rogue and hit Nightcrawler as he reappeared in front of her. The elf collapsed to the ground, barely able to breathe from the pain of his three broken ribs.

Jean took no notice of her injured adversaries, instead focusing all of her attention on the blind woman in front of her. "I'm going to take care of your little Rogue – but first, I want to know what _my_ destiny should have been, the one you _stole_ from me!"

Rogue struggled in vain to free herself. _"Irene!"_

"Don't worry child, everything will work out for the best."

"She's lying," said Jean bluntly. "It's what she does."

Desperately Rogue glanced down at Kurt, who was lying on the floor at her feet with his arms wrapped around his chest, his tail waving in the air. She'd taken off her gloves when she'd tried to sneak up on Jean. If she could just get hold of his tail…

Too late. Jean forced her way into Destiny's mind, tearing through the woman's thoughts and memories as though they were tissue paper. The attack was brutal, the redhead taking no precautions with her assault. Irene screamed, her voice filled with pain. Still telekinetically pinned to the wall, Rogue could only watch helplessly.

Jean rifled through Destiny's memories, her visions of the future, discarding those she did not seek until she discovered the blind woman's foresight of the Brotherhood and examined them eagerly, not caring about the damage to the woman's mind. Irene shrieked in agony as Jean psychically ripped out her thoughts…

_{…will run away from home find her in the bus station…}_

_ {…will return home when the bus fails to arrive…}_

_ {…Xavier's second recruit, still afraid of this power, this life, but believing that she can be accepted by normal humans and use her powers to help others…}_

_ {…most popular girl in school without telepathic suggestions…}_

_ {…best friend, trust him with my life, always there for me…}_

_ {…out of control, can't control my powers…}_

_ {…help me Scott…}_

_ {…connection we made is so strong…}_

_ {…mansion demolished what is he's hurt what if he's…}_

_ {…he's in trouble…}_

_ {…girlfriend to the rescue…}_

_ {…you got that right lady…}_

_ {…last, best hope for the human race…}_

_ {…flying on wings of fire…}_

_ {…the power to consume galaxies the power the POWER…}_

Kurt tried to take a deep breath and groaned with pain, his tail swishing. Rogue snatched at it again – and caught it. She kept hold for only a second or two, long enough to absorb his powers and render him mercifully unconscious.

Her eyes gleaming yellow, Rogue glared at Jean, the telepath too caught up in what she was doing to notice the change.

"Word of advice Jean…"

_Bamf!_

"…_Don't_ mess with the Rogue!"

Scott limped back through the front door, blood oozing from numerous shallow cuts, just in time to see Rogue appear behind Jean, put a hand on her face and teleport. They reappeared at the other side of the room and promptly vanished again, materialising in the centre of the room, giving Jean no time to use her powers against the other girl.

"Rogue! Let her go!" yelled Scott in alarm. "You're going to kill her!"

Kitty struggled to her knees and watched as Scott tried to get the pair, but Rogue used her stolen powers to form a telekinetic bubble around herself and Jean, refusing to let go.

"We have to stop her!" Scott helped Kitty to her feet. "Phase through the shield and separate them!"

"Why?" asked Kitty, folding her arms. "Look at what she did to Lance! I say we let the bitch die."

"Then you might as well have stayed with the Brotherhood. We're the X-Men – we're supposed to be heroes! If you don't stop this, you'll be just as bad as Jean."

_He's right. Damn._

Kitty made herself intangible and phased through the bubble, closing in on the pair. She grabbed Jeans arm and made the girl as insubstantial as herself, breaking the contact Rogue had on the redhead. Jean sank to the floor, her eyes closed. Rogue staggered backwards, the shield disappearing.

Scott looked around, noting that Kurt was unconscious, Lance was sprawled in an ever-widening pool of his own blood and Irene was slumped in the chair, blood trickling from her ears and nose. "We need some help here."

"Logan's on his way," replied Rogue, her voice flat, her hands massaging her temples. "He heard the Velocity leave, found out where we were headed from the security tape."

"Good, replied Scott grimly. "Because if we don't get the others some medical help soon, they might not make it."


	17. Epilogue

Thanks to:

Steph14Wales – I thought if the Prof could see the Phoenix, then Destiny probably could too. Thanks for all your reviews and mails!

Risty – Jean going crazy was so much fun to write! Thanks for all your reviews!

Rogue14 – Jean should learn not to mess with Rogue, but whether she does (or even lives, heh heh…)is debatable. Thanks for all your reviews!

X00001 – I've been dying to write a chapter where Jean really gets to kick ass! Thanks for all your reviews!

Wen1 – Rogue's not a very forgiving person, but she might learn a lesson about Jean at least. There my be some very warped and twisted Jott in the sequel…Thanks for all your reviews, especially when I know you'd prefer some Jott!

Enfant-terrible – Thanks you and thanks for all the reviews you've sent me!

Carol J – Uh, I nicked the TK shield stopping the optic blast from X2 (I cheated, I know) and, um, because Rogue put up the shield, she didn't do it as well as Jean would have and Kitty was able to phase through! Did I talk myself out of the plot hole? Thanks for al your reviews!

LadyEvils – Is Lance OK? Is Irene? You'll have to read on…I'm so evil. As to your other questions, a little from column A, a little from column B. It'll make sense at the end. Thanks for all your reviews!

DemonRogue13 – That's my fave Rogue line too and I had to use it somewhere. Thanks for all your reviews!

Oceanbang – I worked really hard on the fight scene, I'm glad you liked it! Jeans future could have been so different…Thanks for all your reviews!

Furygrrl – I've been dying to get this chapter up with the truly evil and angry Jean in it! Don't worry, I'm not gonna deprive you of Evil Jean in the sequel, she'll still be causing trouble somehow…

UniversalAnimeGirl – I remember Remy's coma, just after the Age of Apocalypse, right? I thought Kurt would recognise Irene from 'Rogue Recruit', when Logan and Kurt (and Kitty) first saw Rogue she was talking to Irene. I loved writing the action sequence, it was good fun! Thanks for all the reviews!

Lyranfan – I thought Kitty would have to be persuaded to help Jean after what happened to Lance. Hope you still like me at the end of the epilogue and thanks for the reviews!

XX-Goth-Gal – All the side effects revealed here! And the sequel will probably be set during the fourth series, but with some of the episodes I missed out thrown in too. The joys of AU! Thanks for all the reviews!

Disclaimer: I don't own X-Men: Evolution or any of the characters contained herein. I merely own the storyline and not even all of that.

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Rogue stood at the graveside, paying little attention to the empty words the vicar recited. The strong winds pulled her hair across her face and she huddled her coat closer around herself. Logan was by her side, trying to offer her moral support. It wasn't helping.

            She had failed.

            Irene was dead.

            The coroner had called it "a massive brain haemorrhage". Rogue called it murder. Jean had caused Irene's death, had known exactly what she was doing when she tore into the woman's mind so viciously…

            "Rogue?"

            "Huh?" Rogue glanced around her and realised that the funeral had ended while she was lost in her own thoughts.

            Logan rested a hand on her shoulder. "You OK Stripes?"

            "Yeah." Rogue turned and put her hands in her pockets, glancing up at the sky. "Let's go back to the Institute. Ah'm done here."

            She didn't look back.

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"Ah, Logan." The Professor looked up as the other man entered his study. "How did it go?"

            "Well as can be expected." Logan took a seat on the couch. "What's been goin on here?"

            "Kurt's up and about, he should be fine in a few weeks. Lance is begging to leave the infirmary. Kitty insists on preparing all his meals."

            Logan grinned briefly at the news, then grew serious again. "And Jean?"

            "No change. She's still in the coma and Hank doesn't believe she'll awaken any time soon – if she comes out of it at all."

            "Rogue really did a number on her, huh?"

            "Yes." The Professor frowned. "And that's what worries me the most. Rogue still has Jeans powers and they don't seem to be fading. I'm afraid the absorption may be permanent. There's no telling how this will affect her, especially considering what Jean did to Destiny."

            "Still no luck reading her mind?"

            "No, even with her blessing it proves impossible. She has Jeans advancements. I can't enter her thoughts at all."

            "And I can't tell when she's in the same room as me, can't pick up a scent."

            "We'll just have to hope that she hasn't picked up any of Jeans more – unpleasant personality traits."

            "If she has, then we're in trouble."

            Upstairs, Scott was sat on the edge of Rogues bed, looking at the floor. "I'm really sorry we didn't get there in time."

            "Yeah. Me too." Rogue brushed her hair out of her eyes and sighed. "But it's not your fault. At least Kurt and Lance are OK."  
            "Must be hard on you, Jean being in the mansion."

            "Means ah can keep an eye on her at least." Rogue looked uncomfortable. "Ah don't know why ah held on to her so long. Ah knew what would happen, but…ah saw what she was doing to Irene and ah just lost it. Ah wanted to kill her – ah nearly did kill her…"

            "It's alright Rogue. I understand. I'd probably have done the same thing."

            "No you wouldn't. You've got that good-guy thing stopping you. But thanks for saying so."

            Scott stood up. "Look, I'm gonna go grab something to eat before Kurt empties the fridge. If you need to talk about anything…"

            Rogue smiled at him. "Thanks Scott."

            After the boy had left, Rogue lay back on her bed, staring at the ceiling. Her eyes began deepening until they were almost green and slowly, a rather cruel smile appeared on her face.

            Things were going to _change_ around here.

            Not right away perhaps – Xavier and Logan were watching her too closely – but if she continued to behave like the untouchable Goth she'd always been they'd start to relax, to believe that Jean Grey was safely comatose in the infirmary… and the absorption ability gave her the potential for limitless power. She was already a telepath and a telekinetic, true, but there was always room for improvement.

            She began to laugh softly. This was going to be _fun._

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                                                THE END!

Author Note – Wow, writing the shout outs at the beginning felt a little bit like writing my own obituary! I've had so much fun working on this fic and making Jean Grey as evil as I could. I'd like to thank everyone who reviewed and gave me ideas for the fic. I'm really grateful to everyone and a little overawed that so many people liked it so much. I'm planning the sequel, which is tentatively called "Drowning In You" to be up at the beginning of August and I just hope it's as well liked as this one has been.

Again, THANK YOU!!


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